http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%206&version=NIV
Why is 1 Chronicles 6 such a long chapter and genealogy?
I'll make this entry short because the book of Hebrews tells us why:
Hebrews 8:1-5
"1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. 3Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
Hebrews 9:13-15
"13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."
Hebrews 9:24-25
"24For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own."
So, the Chronicler has dedicated so much space to the genealogy of the Levitical priesthood because it was so important to the people of Israel, and more than that, the genealogy is a foreshadowing of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ, that was to come.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
"5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Psalm 73, Psalm 77-78
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2073,%20Psalm%2077-78&version=NIV
Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Have you ever felt that the world was treating you unfairly? That the wicked prosper and that Christians are the ones who suffer? The psalmist in Psalm 73 addresses this. The people of God in the past had the same issues that we do today. So let's see what the Word of God has to say about this situation.
At the beginning of Psalm 73, the psalmist acknowledges that God is good to those who are pure in heart. This entails living a life of obedience, but more importantly, being a believer in Christ and having the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us. Yet, the psalmist, or Asaph, says he almost slipped when he saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Doesn't that happen to us today? We see professional athletes, Hollywood stars, politicians, corporate executives, and others who appear to have it all. And we begin to become envious of them and become less attracted to God and more attracted to the world.
Asaph goes on to tell of how these people appear carefree, well-fed, prideful, and scorners of God. So it is today with the New Atheists, (ie. Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, etc...) who have attacked God. They are prideful and frame the argument in a way that it would appear to be foolish to believe in God. However, the Word of God says the fool says there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)
In verse 14, Asaph says he feels as if he is punished every morning, knowing that he is going to have to endure what he has endured previously in the day that is to come.
But then Asaph enters the Sanctuary of God, and realizes their final destiny.
That they will be utterly destroyed. Why? Because they have sinned against God who has created them for His glory. (Isaiah 43:7) This sounds go harsh to those who live in our relativistic culture. A culture that says what is good for you is good for you and what is good for me is good for me. Or, what is true for you is true for you, and what is true for me is true for me. Have you heard those before? How false those statements are!! (See John 14:6, John 17:17, and Acts 4:12)
You know, The Bridge is considering doing a co-ed evangelism based Bible Study perhaps in the summer. Why? Because we are to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) . Additionally, I am sure each of us has friends who do not know Christ. They may be the nicest persons in the world, the most benevolent, friendly and kind, but if Jesus Christ is not their Lord and Savior, they will not be in Heaven with us when they die.
Asaph, continues and says when he was senseless and brutish towards the Lord, the Lord did not desert him. He guided Asaph and counseled him and promised him eternal glory. All of this is available to us today as well. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit never leave us even when we sin. It is we who shun God. Yet, God is there for us, He is the one who grants us repentance and He is the one who enables us to live an obedient life to Him.
Asaph concludes with a heart that is towards God. He says,
"But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (v. 28)
Is God your refuge? You can make Him your refuge today by placing your trust in Him. What deeds has the Lord done in your life? Feel free to share with us what He has done in your life and is doing. We are the Body of Christ. Let us exalt in Him and what He is doing in our midst.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer
Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Have you ever felt that the world was treating you unfairly? That the wicked prosper and that Christians are the ones who suffer? The psalmist in Psalm 73 addresses this. The people of God in the past had the same issues that we do today. So let's see what the Word of God has to say about this situation.
At the beginning of Psalm 73, the psalmist acknowledges that God is good to those who are pure in heart. This entails living a life of obedience, but more importantly, being a believer in Christ and having the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us. Yet, the psalmist, or Asaph, says he almost slipped when he saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Doesn't that happen to us today? We see professional athletes, Hollywood stars, politicians, corporate executives, and others who appear to have it all. And we begin to become envious of them and become less attracted to God and more attracted to the world.
Asaph goes on to tell of how these people appear carefree, well-fed, prideful, and scorners of God. So it is today with the New Atheists, (ie. Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, etc...) who have attacked God. They are prideful and frame the argument in a way that it would appear to be foolish to believe in God. However, the Word of God says the fool says there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)
In verse 14, Asaph says he feels as if he is punished every morning, knowing that he is going to have to endure what he has endured previously in the day that is to come.
But then Asaph enters the Sanctuary of God, and realizes their final destiny.
That they will be utterly destroyed. Why? Because they have sinned against God who has created them for His glory. (Isaiah 43:7) This sounds go harsh to those who live in our relativistic culture. A culture that says what is good for you is good for you and what is good for me is good for me. Or, what is true for you is true for you, and what is true for me is true for me. Have you heard those before? How false those statements are!! (See John 14:6, John 17:17, and Acts 4:12)
You know, The Bridge is considering doing a co-ed evangelism based Bible Study perhaps in the summer. Why? Because we are to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) . Additionally, I am sure each of us has friends who do not know Christ. They may be the nicest persons in the world, the most benevolent, friendly and kind, but if Jesus Christ is not their Lord and Savior, they will not be in Heaven with us when they die.
Asaph, continues and says when he was senseless and brutish towards the Lord, the Lord did not desert him. He guided Asaph and counseled him and promised him eternal glory. All of this is available to us today as well. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit never leave us even when we sin. It is we who shun God. Yet, God is there for us, He is the one who grants us repentance and He is the one who enables us to live an obedient life to Him.
Asaph concludes with a heart that is towards God. He says,
"But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." (v. 28)
Is God your refuge? You can make Him your refuge today by placing your trust in Him. What deeds has the Lord done in your life? Feel free to share with us what He has done in your life and is doing. We are the Body of Christ. Let us exalt in Him and what He is doing in our midst.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
1 Chronicles 3-5
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.”
Some famous poker player somewhere says that in the game of cards, there are no bad hands, just bad poker players. A good player can take the cards he’s dealt and make them in to a winning hand.
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we meet a guy who seems to have been dealt a bad hand. In a long list of genealogy, it is interesting that the chronicler takes time to tell a little bit about Jabez and his prayer. His name sounds similar to the Hebrew word for pain - his mother says that she bore Him in pain. Because of his sorrowful beginning, some might say that he was dealt a bad hand. But Jabez is not going to let that get in the way of victory. In this short prayer, he bets it all on God’s covenant promises. Commentators agree that Jabez was most likely preparing for battle to rid the land of the Canaanites. This is not some name it and claim it prosperity prayer. Jabez is simply claiming the covenant promises of God. He is confidently praying according to the will of God. And we see once again that God is faithful to grant that request.
The Bible is filled with God’s promises to his faithful and obedient children. Have you ever prayed within the context of his will to claim a promise? What were the results? Share your thoughts or feel free to comment on any portion of the passage that we read.
Some famous poker player somewhere says that in the game of cards, there are no bad hands, just bad poker players. A good player can take the cards he’s dealt and make them in to a winning hand.
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we meet a guy who seems to have been dealt a bad hand. In a long list of genealogy, it is interesting that the chronicler takes time to tell a little bit about Jabez and his prayer. His name sounds similar to the Hebrew word for pain - his mother says that she bore Him in pain. Because of his sorrowful beginning, some might say that he was dealt a bad hand. But Jabez is not going to let that get in the way of victory. In this short prayer, he bets it all on God’s covenant promises. Commentators agree that Jabez was most likely preparing for battle to rid the land of the Canaanites. This is not some name it and claim it prosperity prayer. Jabez is simply claiming the covenant promises of God. He is confidently praying according to the will of God. And we see once again that God is faithful to grant that request.
The Bible is filled with God’s promises to his faithful and obedient children. Have you ever prayed within the context of his will to claim a promise? What were the results? Share your thoughts or feel free to comment on any portion of the passage that we read.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Psalms 43-45, 49, 84, 85, 87
Todays passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms%2043-45,%2049,%2084,%2085,%2087&version=NIV
Authentic Worship. It’s a phrase that Second Baptist has been using for the 11:11 service for a while now, but I’ve never really thought about it much until now. A few of the psalms in today’s reading paint a wonderful picture of where authentic worship begins. It begins in the heart – with a longing, a desire, a yearning for the presence of God.
In the first few verses of Psalm 84, we see a deep passion for worship. “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2). My ESV Study Bible says that Psalm 84 was sung in celebration of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to worship at the temple. The psalmist has such an amazing admiration for the dwelling place of the Lord. He yearns to be in the presence of God at the temple among other worshipers.
We are so blessed to have free and easy access to worship in the presence of God. We can come together anywhere at any time for worship – in a tent, a parking lot, under a bridge or in church. The Spirit of God resides in the church…not the bricks and mortar that make up the church, but the people of the church. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit of God came to dwell inside of us. (Ephesians 1:13). He resides in you and me and when we come together in corporate worship His presence is magnified in amazing ways!
I have to admit that sometimes I catch myself entering worship feeling tired, distracted or burned out. At other times, I’m busy socializing, looking around to see who’s there, and chatting & laughing with my friends. When my passion gets squashed by all of these distractions, I lose my opportunity for authentic worship.
Authentic worship starts with an undeniable, insatiable, burning, yearning, desire to come before the Lord in praise and worship with a heart that is open to the teaching of the Word. What kinds of distractions are squashing your authentic worship? Has the desire to be in the presence of God faded away? Pray that God will renew your spirit. Pray that he will fill you with a passion and joy for worshipping in His presence with other worshippers. This is a prayer that He would love to answer with a resounding YES!!
Please feel free to share a personal experience, leave a comment, ask a question, share a prayer or share any thoughts that jumped out as you read today’s psalms on the blog. You don’t have to log in as a follower to comment – just click the link below and leave a comment as an anonymous follower. You can sign your name at the end of the comment if you’d like. We’d love to hear your thoughts!!
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Authentic Worship. It’s a phrase that Second Baptist has been using for the 11:11 service for a while now, but I’ve never really thought about it much until now. A few of the psalms in today’s reading paint a wonderful picture of where authentic worship begins. It begins in the heart – with a longing, a desire, a yearning for the presence of God.
In the first few verses of Psalm 84, we see a deep passion for worship. “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2). My ESV Study Bible says that Psalm 84 was sung in celebration of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to worship at the temple. The psalmist has such an amazing admiration for the dwelling place of the Lord. He yearns to be in the presence of God at the temple among other worshipers.
We are so blessed to have free and easy access to worship in the presence of God. We can come together anywhere at any time for worship – in a tent, a parking lot, under a bridge or in church. The Spirit of God resides in the church…not the bricks and mortar that make up the church, but the people of the church. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit of God came to dwell inside of us. (Ephesians 1:13). He resides in you and me and when we come together in corporate worship His presence is magnified in amazing ways!
I have to admit that sometimes I catch myself entering worship feeling tired, distracted or burned out. At other times, I’m busy socializing, looking around to see who’s there, and chatting & laughing with my friends. When my passion gets squashed by all of these distractions, I lose my opportunity for authentic worship.
Authentic worship starts with an undeniable, insatiable, burning, yearning, desire to come before the Lord in praise and worship with a heart that is open to the teaching of the Word. What kinds of distractions are squashing your authentic worship? Has the desire to be in the presence of God faded away? Pray that God will renew your spirit. Pray that he will fill you with a passion and joy for worshipping in His presence with other worshippers. This is a prayer that He would love to answer with a resounding YES!!
Please feel free to share a personal experience, leave a comment, ask a question, share a prayer or share any thoughts that jumped out as you read today’s psalms on the blog. You don’t have to log in as a follower to comment – just click the link below and leave a comment as an anonymous follower. You can sign your name at the end of the comment if you’d like. We’d love to hear your thoughts!!
Today's post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Monday, April 26, 2010
Family Ties - 1 Chronicles 1-2
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%201-2&version=NIV
1 CHRONICLES 1 - 2
A few weeks ago the Chinese celebrated Qing Ming Jie, a springtime festival when families gather to remember their ancestors. It’s an enormously important cultural occasion. A special effort is made to visit and clean up the graves of departed loved ones, and often the occasion is made more meaningful by the retelling to younger generations the life and contributions of their ancestors. Although the practice can have elements that constitute ancestral worship, there is no reason for it to bear any religious significance. As a Christian outsider looking in, I have a strong appreciation for the importance that the Chinese place on family and tradition. Occasions like Qing Ming Jie serve to remind us of who we are and where we come from.
The genealogies in 1 Chronicles were written to serve a very similar purpose: to remind ourselves of who we are and where we come from. But more than that, they tell us where we are going and who will lead us there. To those of us who are reading the Bible through the year, each name has a story behind it which reminds us of the very important fact that God is faithful. As you read the genealogies consider following each name with the phrase “to whom God was faithful.” From Adam onward, God has demonstrated His faithfulness throughout our family’s history, and He continues to demonstrate His faithfulness to us today.
Believe it!
Chad
1 CHRONICLES 1 - 2
A few weeks ago the Chinese celebrated Qing Ming Jie, a springtime festival when families gather to remember their ancestors. It’s an enormously important cultural occasion. A special effort is made to visit and clean up the graves of departed loved ones, and often the occasion is made more meaningful by the retelling to younger generations the life and contributions of their ancestors. Although the practice can have elements that constitute ancestral worship, there is no reason for it to bear any religious significance. As a Christian outsider looking in, I have a strong appreciation for the importance that the Chinese place on family and tradition. Occasions like Qing Ming Jie serve to remind us of who we are and where we come from.
The genealogies in 1 Chronicles were written to serve a very similar purpose: to remind ourselves of who we are and where we come from. But more than that, they tell us where we are going and who will lead us there. To those of us who are reading the Bible through the year, each name has a story behind it which reminds us of the very important fact that God is faithful. As you read the genealogies consider following each name with the phrase “to whom God was faithful.” From Adam onward, God has demonstrated His faithfulness throughout our family’s history, and He continues to demonstrate His faithfulness to us today.
Believe it!
Chad
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Joy in His Presence
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%206,8,9,10,14,16,19,21&version=NIV
I just returned from a short, but amazing little adventure. A small group of girls and I escaped to the country for a time of silence and solitute - an opportunity to be still in the presence of God. God smiled down on our desire to be with him. As we planned, we decided we needed to find a little cabin or bed and breakfast to rent where we could be away, have some quiet, and hopefully enjoy the outdoors and God's creation. He helped us find a little country cottage to rent outside of Brenham. It was so beautiful and quiet there - just us, God, and the cows (I wonder if they were as blessed by the time as we were....). The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I have the sun-kissed shoulders to prove it. The cottage so sweet and so perfect for our purposes. My heart already longs to return there - to be still again before God with nothing to distract me.
Before I left yesterday morning, I read this little passage in my devotional - how appropriate it was for our day. But here is the thing to remember - it is appropriate for each and every day. It should be what we practice as we live:
"Keep your eyes on me, not only for direction but also for empowerment. I never lead you to do something without equipping your for the task. That is why it's so important to seek My will in everything you do. There are many burned-out Christians who think more is always better, who deem it unspiritual to say no.
In order to know My will, you must spend time with Me - enjoying My Presence. This is not an onerous task but a delightful priviledge. I will show you the path of life; in My Presence is fullness of Joy; at My right hand are pleasures forevermore."
As much as my heart longs to return to our little country cottage, I know that really, all I need to do is return to the presence of God. David got this truth - here's what he wrote:
You have made know to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. - Psalm 16:11
Let us take a page from David's notebook and spend time every day in the presence of God. For it is here where we find our way, it is here that we find joy not matter what our circumstance, it is here we find pleasure. We have the opportunity to sit before the throne of God. Even while on earth, we have the opportunity to spend time at his right hand. Oh my friends, what an amazing truth that is. Will you take the time to be still - to sit before God and be filled with the things of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth?
Here is an ending request - I love to see interaction on the blog. That, after all, was the intention when we started this adventure. So, will you share with us either the Psalms or verses out of today's grouping that spoke to you the most? Or, share your favorite way to spend time in the presence of God. Looking forward to reading what you have to say!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
I just returned from a short, but amazing little adventure. A small group of girls and I escaped to the country for a time of silence and solitute - an opportunity to be still in the presence of God. God smiled down on our desire to be with him. As we planned, we decided we needed to find a little cabin or bed and breakfast to rent where we could be away, have some quiet, and hopefully enjoy the outdoors and God's creation. He helped us find a little country cottage to rent outside of Brenham. It was so beautiful and quiet there - just us, God, and the cows (I wonder if they were as blessed by the time as we were....). The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I have the sun-kissed shoulders to prove it. The cottage so sweet and so perfect for our purposes. My heart already longs to return there - to be still again before God with nothing to distract me.
Before I left yesterday morning, I read this little passage in my devotional - how appropriate it was for our day. But here is the thing to remember - it is appropriate for each and every day. It should be what we practice as we live:
"Keep your eyes on me, not only for direction but also for empowerment. I never lead you to do something without equipping your for the task. That is why it's so important to seek My will in everything you do. There are many burned-out Christians who think more is always better, who deem it unspiritual to say no.
In order to know My will, you must spend time with Me - enjoying My Presence. This is not an onerous task but a delightful priviledge. I will show you the path of life; in My Presence is fullness of Joy; at My right hand are pleasures forevermore."
As much as my heart longs to return to our little country cottage, I know that really, all I need to do is return to the presence of God. David got this truth - here's what he wrote:
You have made know to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. - Psalm 16:11
Let us take a page from David's notebook and spend time every day in the presence of God. For it is here where we find our way, it is here that we find joy not matter what our circumstance, it is here we find pleasure. We have the opportunity to sit before the throne of God. Even while on earth, we have the opportunity to spend time at his right hand. Oh my friends, what an amazing truth that is. Will you take the time to be still - to sit before God and be filled with the things of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth?
Here is an ending request - I love to see interaction on the blog. That, after all, was the intention when we started this adventure. So, will you share with us either the Psalms or verses out of today's grouping that spoke to you the most? Or, share your favorite way to spend time in the presence of God. Looking forward to reading what you have to say!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Saturday, April 24, 2010
2 Samuel 1-4
Good Morning Friends - sorry about the missing link to today's reading. Biblegateway is not working for me this morning. However, if you sans Bible today and need to read it from the computer, go to either http://www.biblegateway.com/ or http://www.crosswalk.com/ to find today's reading on-line.
So here are some brief Saturday morning thoughts on today's reading, centered around 2 Samuel 2:1-7. In these brief passages, we see so many characteristics in David that make him worthy of being called King.
We first look at verses 1-2. David has just found out that Saul is dead - and so he knows that the time for him to be King has come. The key phrases in these verses are 'David inquired of the Lord', 'The Lord Said', 'David asked', and 'So David went up'. It is in these phrases that we find the first kingly characteristics - submissiveness and obedience. What? A submissive, obedient king? That's a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? Human standards would say that people are to submit to and obey the king and that the king rules are and must submit to no one. But David knew something that all rulers, leaders, and men should know - that God is King and ruler above all. He knew that the wisdom of God, the plans of God, the purposes of God are above those of humans. And so he submitted to the wisdom of God in the way that he should step into the purpose for which God had called him. He did not presume to return to the Philistine territory to assume the kingship promised him, without seeking the Lord's guidance. Should we not do the same?
The next characteristics we see are wisdom, compassion, and respect. In verses 4-7, we see David using wisdom in the way he honors Saul. This sends such a strong message to the people he would rule as he recognizes and respects the loyalty they surely felt for their former King. Every good leader will always respect those who have come before them. In addition, he earns respect and approval from those he leads by giving them favor and respect. Having the support of followers is dependent upon respecting them and acknowledging the good that they do. He invites their support - he does not demand it.
Just a little something to think about as you watch David become King - how does David compare to Christ as King? Can you see the similarities? David is a man to watch and learn from - in his wisdom, in his submission and obedience, in his leadership, in is heart for God and unashamed worship - and even in his mistakes. I pray God teaches you many things as you get to know your brother David.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
So here are some brief Saturday morning thoughts on today's reading, centered around 2 Samuel 2:1-7. In these brief passages, we see so many characteristics in David that make him worthy of being called King.
We first look at verses 1-2. David has just found out that Saul is dead - and so he knows that the time for him to be King has come. The key phrases in these verses are 'David inquired of the Lord', 'The Lord Said', 'David asked', and 'So David went up'. It is in these phrases that we find the first kingly characteristics - submissiveness and obedience. What? A submissive, obedient king? That's a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? Human standards would say that people are to submit to and obey the king and that the king rules are and must submit to no one. But David knew something that all rulers, leaders, and men should know - that God is King and ruler above all. He knew that the wisdom of God, the plans of God, the purposes of God are above those of humans. And so he submitted to the wisdom of God in the way that he should step into the purpose for which God had called him. He did not presume to return to the Philistine territory to assume the kingship promised him, without seeking the Lord's guidance. Should we not do the same?
The next characteristics we see are wisdom, compassion, and respect. In verses 4-7, we see David using wisdom in the way he honors Saul. This sends such a strong message to the people he would rule as he recognizes and respects the loyalty they surely felt for their former King. Every good leader will always respect those who have come before them. In addition, he earns respect and approval from those he leads by giving them favor and respect. Having the support of followers is dependent upon respecting them and acknowledging the good that they do. He invites their support - he does not demand it.
Just a little something to think about as you watch David become King - how does David compare to Christ as King? Can you see the similarities? David is a man to watch and learn from - in his wisdom, in his submission and obedience, in his leadership, in is heart for God and unashamed worship - and even in his mistakes. I pray God teaches you many things as you get to know your brother David.
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Psalm 121, Psalm 123-125, Psalm 128-130
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20121,%20Psalm%20123-125,%20Psalm%20128-130&version=NIV
Psalm 130 is what I would like to focus on today.
At the beginning of this Psalm, the Psalmist is crying out to God. He recognizes that in God there is forgiveness and that He is to be feared.
Do we really fear God? It is easy for us to take God for granted. We should never forget what the Lord has done for us. Forgiveness of sins. That is something I try to pray about every morning when I rise.
I heard a pastor say once, that when you are tired of forgiveness of your sins or you don't realize how great a gift this is, that that is when you start to open yourself up to sin. By the power of God, I don't want to open myself up to sin, and so I always pray a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord each day for forgiving my past, present, and future sins.
The Psalmist continues. He says his soul waits and in His Word he puts his hope.
How great that is to place one's hope in the Word of God. God's Word is truth and will never fail. Yet, so often we put our hope in things, people, relationships, or a career. But as James writes,
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)
So when we place our hope in things other than God we fail to realize that God is the one who gave us these things, if they are good.
The Psalmist concludes with stating that the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.
Paul echoes the Psalmists sentiments when he writes in 1 Corinthians 13:8:
"Love never fails,..."
Our Lord loves us so much and to those who have placed their faith in Him, we have full redemption. We are not like the Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons or other Christian cults in which we are trying to earn our salvation. The Lord did everything for us on the cross.
The only thing we provided in our salvation was the sin. Jesus Christ did the saving.
As you go throughout the day, ponder the great gift of your salvation.
Use your freedom in Christ to glorify Him and to serve Him. He is our all in all.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Psalm 130 is what I would like to focus on today.
At the beginning of this Psalm, the Psalmist is crying out to God. He recognizes that in God there is forgiveness and that He is to be feared.
Do we really fear God? It is easy for us to take God for granted. We should never forget what the Lord has done for us. Forgiveness of sins. That is something I try to pray about every morning when I rise.
I heard a pastor say once, that when you are tired of forgiveness of your sins or you don't realize how great a gift this is, that that is when you start to open yourself up to sin. By the power of God, I don't want to open myself up to sin, and so I always pray a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord each day for forgiving my past, present, and future sins.
The Psalmist continues. He says his soul waits and in His Word he puts his hope.
How great that is to place one's hope in the Word of God. God's Word is truth and will never fail. Yet, so often we put our hope in things, people, relationships, or a career. But as James writes,
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)
So when we place our hope in things other than God we fail to realize that God is the one who gave us these things, if they are good.
The Psalmist concludes with stating that the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.
Paul echoes the Psalmists sentiments when he writes in 1 Corinthians 13:8:
"Love never fails,..."
Our Lord loves us so much and to those who have placed their faith in Him, we have full redemption. We are not like the Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons or other Christian cults in which we are trying to earn our salvation. The Lord did everything for us on the cross.
The only thing we provided in our salvation was the sin. Jesus Christ did the saving.
As you go throughout the day, ponder the great gift of your salvation.
Use your freedom in Christ to glorify Him and to serve Him. He is our all in all.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
1 Samuel 28-31, Psalm 18
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2028-31,%20Psalm%2018&version=NIV
Saul, Samuel, and the witch of Endor. In chapters 28 to 31 of 1 Samuel we see the end of the life of Saul.
Samuel has died and the Philistines are preparing to attack the Israelites once again. Saul asks the Lord for help. The Lord is silent. So, Saul takes matters into his own hands.
In chapter 28, Saul decides to go and see a medium or spiritist. We know from out study of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that spiritists and mediums were strictly forbidden. (See Leviticus 20:6 and Deuteronomy 18:10-14.) In fact, in verse 9 of chapter 28 we see that Saul has cut off the spiritists and mediums of the land. Now, he is going against his own previous obedience to God to direct disobedience.
And his disobedience is so great. Look at verse 10. Saul swears by the Lord that she will not be punished for what she is about to do. To swear by the Lord when you are going to do a sinful act? This is what sin does to us. It causes us to not think clearly. We then see that Samuel is brought up. Saul asks Samuel what he should do. Samuel tells him that the Lord is going to hand Israel and him over to the Philistines the next day. This prophecy was fulfilled and Saul and his sons were killed the next day in battle.
To many this is a strange story in the Bible. Witches and a spirit being brought up. But the main point of this story is to give us an example of what can happen to us when we are disobedient to God.
Saul offered sacrifices up in chapter 13 when he should have waited for Samuel. He did not kill all of the Amalekites as God commanded him to do so in chapter 15 but saved some.
In 1 Samuel 15:23 Samuel writes:
" For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
You know we too can fall away from the Lord. Not in losing our salvation but when we are disobedient to God we can lose the joy of our salvation and even the assurance of our salvation. When that happens, it is hard for us to bear little or any fruit for God's kingdom.
Obedience is such a vital part of living a faithful Christian life.
Romans 6:16 says,
"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (ESV)
You know I am so glad that by the grace of God he has chosen me to be a part of His kingdom. I am sure all of you are as well. A lot of people think grace does not include obedience. That obedience is legalism. That is such a false and incorrect view of God's grace!!!
Some of my favorite verses that deal with obedience and grace come from the book of Titus.
Titus 2:111-12 says,
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"
The ESV Study Bible note on these verses has it right when it reads,
"Christians should live this way because (“for”) the grace of God that saves also instructs its recipients to live in a new way. One cannot truly claim to be a recipient of saving grace without also being a pupil of “training grace.” This change in lifestyle is rooted in the atonement (v.14) and the expectation of Christ's return (v.13)"
Saving grace and training grace. I like that. Pray to God today that His Grace would enable you to live a pleasing and obedient life for Him.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Saul, Samuel, and the witch of Endor. In chapters 28 to 31 of 1 Samuel we see the end of the life of Saul.
Samuel has died and the Philistines are preparing to attack the Israelites once again. Saul asks the Lord for help. The Lord is silent. So, Saul takes matters into his own hands.
In chapter 28, Saul decides to go and see a medium or spiritist. We know from out study of Leviticus and Deuteronomy that spiritists and mediums were strictly forbidden. (See Leviticus 20:6 and Deuteronomy 18:10-14.) In fact, in verse 9 of chapter 28 we see that Saul has cut off the spiritists and mediums of the land. Now, he is going against his own previous obedience to God to direct disobedience.
And his disobedience is so great. Look at verse 10. Saul swears by the Lord that she will not be punished for what she is about to do. To swear by the Lord when you are going to do a sinful act? This is what sin does to us. It causes us to not think clearly. We then see that Samuel is brought up. Saul asks Samuel what he should do. Samuel tells him that the Lord is going to hand Israel and him over to the Philistines the next day. This prophecy was fulfilled and Saul and his sons were killed the next day in battle.
To many this is a strange story in the Bible. Witches and a spirit being brought up. But the main point of this story is to give us an example of what can happen to us when we are disobedient to God.
Saul offered sacrifices up in chapter 13 when he should have waited for Samuel. He did not kill all of the Amalekites as God commanded him to do so in chapter 15 but saved some.
In 1 Samuel 15:23 Samuel writes:
" For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
You know we too can fall away from the Lord. Not in losing our salvation but when we are disobedient to God we can lose the joy of our salvation and even the assurance of our salvation. When that happens, it is hard for us to bear little or any fruit for God's kingdom.
Obedience is such a vital part of living a faithful Christian life.
Romans 6:16 says,
"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (ESV)
You know I am so glad that by the grace of God he has chosen me to be a part of His kingdom. I am sure all of you are as well. A lot of people think grace does not include obedience. That obedience is legalism. That is such a false and incorrect view of God's grace!!!
Some of my favorite verses that deal with obedience and grace come from the book of Titus.
Titus 2:111-12 says,
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"
The ESV Study Bible note on these verses has it right when it reads,
"Christians should live this way because (“for”) the grace of God that saves also instructs its recipients to live in a new way. One cannot truly claim to be a recipient of saving grace without also being a pupil of “training grace.” This change in lifestyle is rooted in the atonement (v.14) and the expectation of Christ's return (v.13)"
Saving grace and training grace. I like that. Pray to God today that His Grace would enable you to live a pleasing and obedient life for Him.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Psalms 17, 35, 54, 63
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms%2017,%2035,%2054,%2063&version=NIV
Psalm 17:15 “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”
Once again, our psalms in today’s passage are written by David during a time of persecution. He’s been chased, attacked, slandered, dishonored, and forced into hiding. Through it all, David manages to keep his eyes on the prize. Psalm 17:14 says of the men who are attacking him, that their reward is in this life. Their treasure will not follow them to eternity – they leave it all behind to their children. It is a temporary reward. But David, who is made righteous in faith (Gen 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.), looks forward to an everlasting fellowship with God. David definitely had his focus in the right direction. He had his eyes on the prize…the ultimate reward of an eternity with our Lord.
It’s so easy to get distracted by vain ambitions that lead to temporary worldly rewards. It’s especially easy to get distracted when we are going through a situation where it seems that those who persecute us are being rewarded and we are not. As children of God, we can rejoice in the success of building His eternal Kingdom rather than building a kingdom for ourselves here on earth. If we keep our eyes on the prize, we can rest in the knowledge that the ultimate reward is yet to come; the ultimate reward is an everlasting reward – an eternity of knowing Jesus Christ, our Lord.
I love Paul’s perspective in Philippians 3:7-10:
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Where does your reward lie? On what do you place the highest value? Is knowing Christ Jesus your greatest treasure? Are you busy building up your own glory, chasing vain ambitions and fulfilling worldly desires? Or do you focus on glorifying God and building up his eternal Kingdom? Do your works provide evidence of your faith? Are you spending time building a relationship with God and obediently carrying out your purpose? Take inventory of your life and ask God to show you how to keep your eyes on the prize…an eternity with Him awaits.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Psalm 17:15 “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”
Once again, our psalms in today’s passage are written by David during a time of persecution. He’s been chased, attacked, slandered, dishonored, and forced into hiding. Through it all, David manages to keep his eyes on the prize. Psalm 17:14 says of the men who are attacking him, that their reward is in this life. Their treasure will not follow them to eternity – they leave it all behind to their children. It is a temporary reward. But David, who is made righteous in faith (Gen 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.), looks forward to an everlasting fellowship with God. David definitely had his focus in the right direction. He had his eyes on the prize…the ultimate reward of an eternity with our Lord.
It’s so easy to get distracted by vain ambitions that lead to temporary worldly rewards. It’s especially easy to get distracted when we are going through a situation where it seems that those who persecute us are being rewarded and we are not. As children of God, we can rejoice in the success of building His eternal Kingdom rather than building a kingdom for ourselves here on earth. If we keep our eyes on the prize, we can rest in the knowledge that the ultimate reward is yet to come; the ultimate reward is an everlasting reward – an eternity of knowing Jesus Christ, our Lord.
I love Paul’s perspective in Philippians 3:7-10:
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Where does your reward lie? On what do you place the highest value? Is knowing Christ Jesus your greatest treasure? Are you busy building up your own glory, chasing vain ambitions and fulfilling worldly desires? Or do you focus on glorifying God and building up his eternal Kingdom? Do your works provide evidence of your faith? Are you spending time building a relationship with God and obediently carrying out your purpose? Take inventory of your life and ask God to show you how to keep your eyes on the prize…an eternity with Him awaits.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
1 Samuel 25-27
Today's passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20samuel%2025-27&version=NIV
Our God is so amazing in the way that he works behind the scenes of our lives. He puts people in our lives for a reason, and in our passage today, we see that David encounters Abigail for a reason.
David showed compassion, restraint and complete trust in the Lord when he did not take vengeance against Saul when he had the opportunity in the cave. But when Nabal refused to share provisions with David and his men, David reacted with anger, vengeance and hostility. He intended to get even, but Abigail’s intervention and words of wisdom reminded David that he did not need “on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself” (1 Samuel 25:31). She reminded him that vengeance was God’s and that God would deal with Nabal.
Abigail responded quickly with humility and discernment. Her response stopped David from committing the horrible crime of shedding innocent blood. In chapter 26, David would have another opportunity to take Saul’s life as he slept. Once again, David refused to lay his hand against Saul, who was anointed by God. It would have been easy for David to rationalize that God had delivered Saul into his hands a second time because he had failed to eliminate him the first time. The Lord had put Saul and his men in a deep sleep and David was able to sneak into the camp and get close enough to Saul to take his water and spear. David could have misunderstood this as a green light from God to take Saul out. Perhaps this is why God put Abigail and Nabal in David’s life – to remind him that vengeance belongs to God so that David would remember to consider Saul’s life precious as the anointed leader of Israel. Perhaps God used Abigail to prepare David’s heart for this second confrontation with Saul.
Abigail is a wonderful example to us as Christian women. She shows great wisdom and discernment in her decision to clean up her husband’s mess. Do you think Abigail failed in her role as a woman to be submissive to her husband? Had she not acted, David would have shed innocent blood and her entire household would have been wiped out, including her husband. These were dire circumstances, and I think it’s safe to say that Abigail honored her husband. She saved him and his entire estate from annihilation. In Proverbs 31, a wife of noble character is described as one who “speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31:26-27). In complete humility, she offered to take the blame upon herself in place of her husband, looking out for his best interest and the best interest of her household.
As Christian women we are commanded to submit to our husbands, but we are never to sin in doing so and our actions should bring glory to God. For example, if a man insists that his wife not attend church, the wife would have to choose between obeying God and obeying her husband’s wishes. Submission to man should never override our submission to God’s commands. This applies not only to the husband/wife relationships, but any relationship where we are to submit to authority. This is not however, a free ticket to usurp authority. Our decisions should be prayerfully considered and our actions should be in response to direct leading from God. David refers to Abigail as being sent by the Lord and as having discernment (1 Samuel 25:22-23). Abigail was clearly led by the Lord and was blessed for her obedience.
Has God ever put an Abigail in your life? One who speaks truth and wisdom? One whose words, spoken in truth and love, have prevented you from making a huge mistake. One who prepared you for a situation that you would have handled poorly if not for the echoing of her words in your mind? Keep your eyes open for her (or him) and respond as David did - listen to her wise words and take them to heart!! Feel free to share your experiences on the blog.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Our God is so amazing in the way that he works behind the scenes of our lives. He puts people in our lives for a reason, and in our passage today, we see that David encounters Abigail for a reason.
David showed compassion, restraint and complete trust in the Lord when he did not take vengeance against Saul when he had the opportunity in the cave. But when Nabal refused to share provisions with David and his men, David reacted with anger, vengeance and hostility. He intended to get even, but Abigail’s intervention and words of wisdom reminded David that he did not need “on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself” (1 Samuel 25:31). She reminded him that vengeance was God’s and that God would deal with Nabal.
Abigail responded quickly with humility and discernment. Her response stopped David from committing the horrible crime of shedding innocent blood. In chapter 26, David would have another opportunity to take Saul’s life as he slept. Once again, David refused to lay his hand against Saul, who was anointed by God. It would have been easy for David to rationalize that God had delivered Saul into his hands a second time because he had failed to eliminate him the first time. The Lord had put Saul and his men in a deep sleep and David was able to sneak into the camp and get close enough to Saul to take his water and spear. David could have misunderstood this as a green light from God to take Saul out. Perhaps this is why God put Abigail and Nabal in David’s life – to remind him that vengeance belongs to God so that David would remember to consider Saul’s life precious as the anointed leader of Israel. Perhaps God used Abigail to prepare David’s heart for this second confrontation with Saul.
Abigail is a wonderful example to us as Christian women. She shows great wisdom and discernment in her decision to clean up her husband’s mess. Do you think Abigail failed in her role as a woman to be submissive to her husband? Had she not acted, David would have shed innocent blood and her entire household would have been wiped out, including her husband. These were dire circumstances, and I think it’s safe to say that Abigail honored her husband. She saved him and his entire estate from annihilation. In Proverbs 31, a wife of noble character is described as one who “speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31:26-27). In complete humility, she offered to take the blame upon herself in place of her husband, looking out for his best interest and the best interest of her household.
As Christian women we are commanded to submit to our husbands, but we are never to sin in doing so and our actions should bring glory to God. For example, if a man insists that his wife not attend church, the wife would have to choose between obeying God and obeying her husband’s wishes. Submission to man should never override our submission to God’s commands. This applies not only to the husband/wife relationships, but any relationship where we are to submit to authority. This is not however, a free ticket to usurp authority. Our decisions should be prayerfully considered and our actions should be in response to direct leading from God. David refers to Abigail as being sent by the Lord and as having discernment (1 Samuel 25:22-23). Abigail was clearly led by the Lord and was blessed for her obedience.
Has God ever put an Abigail in your life? One who speaks truth and wisdom? One whose words, spoken in truth and love, have prevented you from making a huge mistake. One who prepared you for a situation that you would have handled poorly if not for the echoing of her words in your mind? Keep your eyes open for her (or him) and respond as David did - listen to her wise words and take them to heart!! Feel free to share your experiences on the blog.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Monday, April 19, 2010
Psalm 56,120,140-142
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2056,120,140,141,142&version=NIV
Hi friends - sorry about the late post - doing a quick blog stand-in tonight about today's passage. It will be short, but worth it, I hope.
I always love it when I have a scripture in my head and then God puts it in front of me. I believe that is one way that he communicates to us. So, it would be my pleasure to share my thoughts with you about the following verse from today's reading:
"May my prayer be set before you liek incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." - Psalm 141:2
This morning, as is my habit, I was praying for my friends, the sweet girls in my small group, and an amazing group of women that I pray with. Later on, I was thinking about what a priviledge it was to carry my friends and family to the throne of God through my prayers. And that's what reminded me of this verse - because I knew that God's word says that our prayers are like incense before God. It was cool to think about - that my prayers that morning rose before him like incense. My next thought was that I wanted to walk through my day in prayer so that they continued to rise before God as a pleasing aroma.
Which, brings me to the second thought - a lesson learned in Portugal. I went on a mission trip to Lisbon, Portugal year before last. We did a lot of walking through neighborhoods, talking to people, and helping them determine where to do church plants. Our routine was that we would walk our assigned neighborhood when we arrived their and just pray - for the Spirit to go before us, for an awareness of opportunities to witness, for the people who lived there, etc. The biggest take-home lesson from this trip was how one can walk through their day in prayer. And since then I love to do that (although I certainly don't do it all the time and wish I did). But the best days at work are when I walk down the hall and pray for our students or the teachers as I pass by their doors, or for my friends, family, etc. who are on my heart.
Friends - God's truth says that our prayers rise before God like incense. What an amazing picture that is. I pray that we all learn to walk through our days in prayer and in full confidence that our prayers are rising before the throne of God. They are incense to him and bring him great pleasure - pleasure because they are an expression of our faith in him. Pleasure because they show a desire to communicate all day with him and he desire that intimacy with us. Pleasure because his glory is revealed in answers to prayers. Approach the throne of Grace with confidence!
Hi friends - sorry about the late post - doing a quick blog stand-in tonight about today's passage. It will be short, but worth it, I hope.
I always love it when I have a scripture in my head and then God puts it in front of me. I believe that is one way that he communicates to us. So, it would be my pleasure to share my thoughts with you about the following verse from today's reading:
"May my prayer be set before you liek incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice." - Psalm 141:2
This morning, as is my habit, I was praying for my friends, the sweet girls in my small group, and an amazing group of women that I pray with. Later on, I was thinking about what a priviledge it was to carry my friends and family to the throne of God through my prayers. And that's what reminded me of this verse - because I knew that God's word says that our prayers are like incense before God. It was cool to think about - that my prayers that morning rose before him like incense. My next thought was that I wanted to walk through my day in prayer so that they continued to rise before God as a pleasing aroma.
Which, brings me to the second thought - a lesson learned in Portugal. I went on a mission trip to Lisbon, Portugal year before last. We did a lot of walking through neighborhoods, talking to people, and helping them determine where to do church plants. Our routine was that we would walk our assigned neighborhood when we arrived their and just pray - for the Spirit to go before us, for an awareness of opportunities to witness, for the people who lived there, etc. The biggest take-home lesson from this trip was how one can walk through their day in prayer. And since then I love to do that (although I certainly don't do it all the time and wish I did). But the best days at work are when I walk down the hall and pray for our students or the teachers as I pass by their doors, or for my friends, family, etc. who are on my heart.
Friends - God's truth says that our prayers rise before God like incense. What an amazing picture that is. I pray that we all learn to walk through our days in prayer and in full confidence that our prayers are rising before the throne of God. They are incense to him and bring him great pleasure - pleasure because they are an expression of our faith in him. Pleasure because they show a desire to communicate all day with him and he desire that intimacy with us. Pleasure because his glory is revealed in answers to prayers. Approach the throne of Grace with confidence!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Praise at Odd Times - Psalms 7,27,31,34 & 52
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%207,27,31,34,52&version=NIV
It is such a pleasure to step into the Psalms today. For me, it feels like a reward as we’ve persevered in our journey through some challenging books – and it’s a great encouragement to press on because there is so much that God wants us to know about his story.
The beautiful thing about reading through the entire bible is that one walks away with insights gained from seeing the bigger picture - God's story in it's completeness up until this time. I like the way our reading plan is set up, because it helps us see the larger picture. The Psalms we read are written by David in the midst of the circumstances we read about yesterday. David is running for His life. He has done no wrong, yet armies pursue him. Reading these Psalms in the light of David's story elevates his words to such a level that displays a faith I now yearn for. David is praising God in his storm. It is a faith that makes me pray almost frightening prayers like, "Lord, I want to know you fully – to have a faith like David’s, and if it means I have to suffer to experience you more fully, I am willing.”
Here’s what I believe – we never fully grasp God’s compassion and unfailing love until we experience him in our lives as we walk through fire. That is why people who have gone through a trial say they would go through it again because their faith was so greatly increased. God is so purposeful, friends, in how he works in our lives. I read a word today from ‘Jesus Lives’ by Sarah Young, and I think it’s such a good description of what God was doing in David’s life during this time and what he does in you life and mine in the midst of trials. I’d like to share these words with you:
“Though I bring grief, I will show compassion. No matter what trials you are enduring, you can count on My love and My compassion – neither of which will ever fail. I can bring good out of everything I allow in your life, but much of what Id do is far beyond your understanding. My children often misinterpret My ways with them. When adversity strikes, they tend to feel as if I am displeased with them. They don’t realize that My most devoted followers are especially targeted in spiritual warfare. The devil and his demonic underlings delight in tormenting those who live close to Me. When you are suffering and your troubles seem endless, remember I am tenderly present in your afflictions. Instead of lamenting the way things are, search for Me in the wreckage of adversity. You will not fail to find me when you search for me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13-14).
I want you to experience more fully the greatness of My overflowing Love. As you open yourself to My Compassionate Presence, this Love flows into you more freely. Like new wine, My Love expands within you, increasing this capacity for me. Another way to expand this capacity is to let My Love flow from you to others. I am so pleased when you do this that I flood you with more of My living Presence. As you continue this blessed adventure with Me, I fill you with ever-increasing volumes of unfailing Love.”
As you read today, picture David in the following situations and read his the words written by him in the light of the circumstances he’s facing:
Psalm 7 – He is feeling from Cush, the Benjamite – a supporter of Saul.
Psalm 27 – Still feeling for his life, David writes this confident prayer.
Psalm 31 – This is a prayer for deliverance written by David when he is confronted by a
conspiracy so powerful and open that all his friends have abandoned him.
Psalm 34 – Written by David at the time he pretended to be insane before Ahimelech.
Psalm 52 – Written when Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has
gone to the house of Ahimelech.
These are some of my favorite Psalms – such an incredible example of confidant trust that God will deliver – a confident reliance on the Lord and His covenant of unfailing love. An expression of faith that waits patiently for that which is sure, though not yet seen.
My favorite verses in these Psalms is Psalm 27:13-14. It is a promise that God has given to me and that I stand on in my prayers as I wait for God to move in my life. It’s what I cling to as I wait for things my heart desires. It is a promise that I got to watch God fulfill this week, so if you’ll allow me, I’d love to share.
For the last seven years I have wanted a new job. For the last seven years I have applied for jobs, interviewed for jobs, and watched God close doors that looked like they would certainly open. Yes, I was blessed to have a job, but it was challenging, at times exhausting, and sometimes even dangerous. And yet God said no.
For the last seven years my faith has grown exponentially as I’ve waited – not by choice, but by circumstance. I have watched God provide. I have watched his exercise justice. I have been humbled and privileged as he used me in the lives of the students and teachers I work with. However, don’t get me wrong. It was tough, and my faith wasn’t always what it is now. It often failed. It often questioned God. It grew stronger as I prayed. For at least the last three years a new job has been part of my prayer requests daily. But this morning I stopped praying that prayer. I almost missed praying this prayer – it had become an old friend to me. I stopped because God delivered. And when he did, he did it with much glory.
See, he didn’t just open a door, he did it supernaturally. He put so many things in place as I went through this process that it was evident that God was doing this work. The last thing he did was answer a prayer about salary that seemed impossible. My friends – God works with purpose and through the umbrella of unfailing love and faithfulness. If you wait on him, you will get to see a beautiful display of his unfailing love and faithfulness in your life. David did. I have. And so it will be for you also. Be encouraged, be willing to wait and stand on this promise:
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord.” - Psalm 27:13-14
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
It is such a pleasure to step into the Psalms today. For me, it feels like a reward as we’ve persevered in our journey through some challenging books – and it’s a great encouragement to press on because there is so much that God wants us to know about his story.
The beautiful thing about reading through the entire bible is that one walks away with insights gained from seeing the bigger picture - God's story in it's completeness up until this time. I like the way our reading plan is set up, because it helps us see the larger picture. The Psalms we read are written by David in the midst of the circumstances we read about yesterday. David is running for His life. He has done no wrong, yet armies pursue him. Reading these Psalms in the light of David's story elevates his words to such a level that displays a faith I now yearn for. David is praising God in his storm. It is a faith that makes me pray almost frightening prayers like, "Lord, I want to know you fully – to have a faith like David’s, and if it means I have to suffer to experience you more fully, I am willing.”
Here’s what I believe – we never fully grasp God’s compassion and unfailing love until we experience him in our lives as we walk through fire. That is why people who have gone through a trial say they would go through it again because their faith was so greatly increased. God is so purposeful, friends, in how he works in our lives. I read a word today from ‘Jesus Lives’ by Sarah Young, and I think it’s such a good description of what God was doing in David’s life during this time and what he does in you life and mine in the midst of trials. I’d like to share these words with you:
“Though I bring grief, I will show compassion. No matter what trials you are enduring, you can count on My love and My compassion – neither of which will ever fail. I can bring good out of everything I allow in your life, but much of what Id do is far beyond your understanding. My children often misinterpret My ways with them. When adversity strikes, they tend to feel as if I am displeased with them. They don’t realize that My most devoted followers are especially targeted in spiritual warfare. The devil and his demonic underlings delight in tormenting those who live close to Me. When you are suffering and your troubles seem endless, remember I am tenderly present in your afflictions. Instead of lamenting the way things are, search for Me in the wreckage of adversity. You will not fail to find me when you search for me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13-14).
I want you to experience more fully the greatness of My overflowing Love. As you open yourself to My Compassionate Presence, this Love flows into you more freely. Like new wine, My Love expands within you, increasing this capacity for me. Another way to expand this capacity is to let My Love flow from you to others. I am so pleased when you do this that I flood you with more of My living Presence. As you continue this blessed adventure with Me, I fill you with ever-increasing volumes of unfailing Love.”
As you read today, picture David in the following situations and read his the words written by him in the light of the circumstances he’s facing:
Psalm 7 – He is feeling from Cush, the Benjamite – a supporter of Saul.
Psalm 27 – Still feeling for his life, David writes this confident prayer.
Psalm 31 – This is a prayer for deliverance written by David when he is confronted by a
conspiracy so powerful and open that all his friends have abandoned him.
Psalm 34 – Written by David at the time he pretended to be insane before Ahimelech.
Psalm 52 – Written when Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: “David has
gone to the house of Ahimelech.
These are some of my favorite Psalms – such an incredible example of confidant trust that God will deliver – a confident reliance on the Lord and His covenant of unfailing love. An expression of faith that waits patiently for that which is sure, though not yet seen.
My favorite verses in these Psalms is Psalm 27:13-14. It is a promise that God has given to me and that I stand on in my prayers as I wait for God to move in my life. It’s what I cling to as I wait for things my heart desires. It is a promise that I got to watch God fulfill this week, so if you’ll allow me, I’d love to share.
For the last seven years I have wanted a new job. For the last seven years I have applied for jobs, interviewed for jobs, and watched God close doors that looked like they would certainly open. Yes, I was blessed to have a job, but it was challenging, at times exhausting, and sometimes even dangerous. And yet God said no.
For the last seven years my faith has grown exponentially as I’ve waited – not by choice, but by circumstance. I have watched God provide. I have watched his exercise justice. I have been humbled and privileged as he used me in the lives of the students and teachers I work with. However, don’t get me wrong. It was tough, and my faith wasn’t always what it is now. It often failed. It often questioned God. It grew stronger as I prayed. For at least the last three years a new job has been part of my prayer requests daily. But this morning I stopped praying that prayer. I almost missed praying this prayer – it had become an old friend to me. I stopped because God delivered. And when he did, he did it with much glory.
See, he didn’t just open a door, he did it supernaturally. He put so many things in place as I went through this process that it was evident that God was doing this work. The last thing he did was answer a prayer about salary that seemed impossible. My friends – God works with purpose and through the umbrella of unfailing love and faithfulness. If you wait on him, you will get to see a beautiful display of his unfailing love and faithfulness in your life. David did. I have. And so it will be for you also. Be encouraged, be willing to wait and stand on this promise:
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord.” - Psalm 27:13-14
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Friday, April 16, 2010
Watch and Learn from David - 1 Samuel 21-24
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2021-24&version=NIV
David – slayer of giants, anointed as one who would become King of Israel. It doesn’t seem right that he should be fleeing for his life and hiding from King Saul and his men. And yet, that’s where he finds himself. I’m certain that David didn’t face this without frustration. I’m certain he had plenty of questions. I certain one of them must have been, “Lord, how can I be king if I am dead?” His circumstances most certainly don’t seem to fit into God’s declared plan and purpose for his life. This is where we learn some valuable lessons from David’s plight and they way that David handled it. Lessons such as:
Even people of God will be attacked. Living under God’s protection means that although he sometimes protects us from attacks, he more often works as our defender while we are under attack. God’s word does not say no weapon shall be formed against you – it says that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
Although God will protect us, we also must exercise wisdom to put into place the means of protection God provides and take the ways of escape when he gives them. God gave David a sword because he asked the priest for it – he didn’t wait for God to hand him one. He received protection of people because he sought it out. We are active, not passive participants in protection.
We are not, however, active participants in God’s justice. Notice that David did not try to exact justice on Saul, even though he had the opportunity. Instead, he bowed to God’s sovereign justice, purpose, and timing – he says, “May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” – 1 Sam. 24:15
When someone comes against us, we must be cautious to remain blameless. David demonstrates this when he chooses not to kill Saul, even when encouraged to do so. He remains blameless so as not to give Saul or any others reason to find fault with his actions. When someone is coming against us, our righteous response stands in stark contrast to their wrong-doing – a strong witness of our character to all who observe – including those who come against us. He rightly tells Saul, “Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me.” (1 Sam. 24:11-12) Notice that David’s righteousness in contrast to Saul’s evil even brought Saul to a moment of repentance.
When God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, he will put it into place. David knew God, knew this truth, stood on it and acted according to it. We do not have to things into our own hands. At the same time, we are again active participants in God’s plan – we seek him, listen to him, move when we feel him prompt us, stop when he says stop. We trust in his unfailing love and faithfulness. Blessed are those who wait on the Lord!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
David – slayer of giants, anointed as one who would become King of Israel. It doesn’t seem right that he should be fleeing for his life and hiding from King Saul and his men. And yet, that’s where he finds himself. I’m certain that David didn’t face this without frustration. I’m certain he had plenty of questions. I certain one of them must have been, “Lord, how can I be king if I am dead?” His circumstances most certainly don’t seem to fit into God’s declared plan and purpose for his life. This is where we learn some valuable lessons from David’s plight and they way that David handled it. Lessons such as:
Even people of God will be attacked. Living under God’s protection means that although he sometimes protects us from attacks, he more often works as our defender while we are under attack. God’s word does not say no weapon shall be formed against you – it says that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).
Although God will protect us, we also must exercise wisdom to put into place the means of protection God provides and take the ways of escape when he gives them. God gave David a sword because he asked the priest for it – he didn’t wait for God to hand him one. He received protection of people because he sought it out. We are active, not passive participants in protection.
We are not, however, active participants in God’s justice. Notice that David did not try to exact justice on Saul, even though he had the opportunity. Instead, he bowed to God’s sovereign justice, purpose, and timing – he says, “May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” – 1 Sam. 24:15
When someone comes against us, we must be cautious to remain blameless. David demonstrates this when he chooses not to kill Saul, even when encouraged to do so. He remains blameless so as not to give Saul or any others reason to find fault with his actions. When someone is coming against us, our righteous response stands in stark contrast to their wrong-doing – a strong witness of our character to all who observe – including those who come against us. He rightly tells Saul, “Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me.” (1 Sam. 24:11-12) Notice that David’s righteousness in contrast to Saul’s evil even brought Saul to a moment of repentance.
When God has a plan and a purpose for our lives, he will put it into place. David knew God, knew this truth, stood on it and acted according to it. We do not have to things into our own hands. At the same time, we are again active participants in God’s plan – we seek him, listen to him, move when we feel him prompt us, stop when he says stop. We trust in his unfailing love and faithfulness. Blessed are those who wait on the Lord!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
1 Samuel 18-20, Psalm 11, Psalm 59
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2018-20,%20Psalm%2011,%20Psalm%2059&version=NIV
When I was a young boy, I thought that after David slayed Goliath that he immediately became king and all was well with him for the rest of his life. As I grew, and read my Bible, I realized how wrong I was about this. David had to go through many trials before he became king.
In chapters 18 to 20 of 1 Samuel we see how Saul is becoming more and more jealous of David.
He has thrown a spear at him twice in chapter 18, he sent his attendants to David's house to kill him, and he has thrown a spear at his own son, Jonathan, in chapter 20.
David was experiencing great distress. He wrote Psalm 59 in response to these distresses in his life.
In Psalm 59, David writes about his enemies,
" 1Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me."
16" But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
When I was a young boy, I thought that after David slayed Goliath that he immediately became king and all was well with him for the rest of his life. As I grew, and read my Bible, I realized how wrong I was about this. David had to go through many trials before he became king.
In chapters 18 to 20 of 1 Samuel we see how Saul is becoming more and more jealous of David.
He has thrown a spear at him twice in chapter 18, he sent his attendants to David's house to kill him, and he has thrown a spear at his own son, Jonathan, in chapter 20.
David was experiencing great distress. He wrote Psalm 59 in response to these distresses in his life.
In Psalm 59, David writes about his enemies,
" 1Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!"
But in the midst of his troubles, he knows that the Lord is his strength and calls on Him for help.
9" O my Strength, I watch for you;you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me."
16" But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17 O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God."
We all have and will experience trials and tribulations in this life. James and Paul both write of this and give reasons why we experience them:
James 1:2-4 : 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Romans 5:3-5 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
When we experience trials and tribulations and sufferings in our life we have a choice to make. We can become bitter about our present circumstances and turn away from God or we can come closer to God.
I know many of you are going through trials now in your life. I am not saying that your circumstances are pleasant. What David went through was not pleasant. But in the midst of all these adversities in his life, David wrote some of the most glorious Psalms that praise God for His goodness and grace.
These experiences in his life strengthened his faith. One last thing I would like to share.
As we go through difficult times in our lives, also realize that God may be using these times to strengthen us so that we may minister to those who are experiencing similar trials in the future.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from GodSoli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
1 Samuel 15-17
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2015-17&version=NIV
In chapter 15 of 1 Samuel, we see Saul has disobeyed the Lord again in not following the instructions of Samuel.
" But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" (1 Samuel 15:26)
From this point on, the focus of 1 Samuel now is the interaction between Saul and David. In chapter 16, Samuel anoints David as the future king of Israel.
And then we come to chapter 17. David and Goliath. This is probably one of the first, if not first, Bible story that many of us have ever heard.
When people talk about the confrontation between David and Goliath, the lessons often seem to come down to asking, "Who or what is the Goliath in your life and how can you slay them?"
But I would say there is a greater spiritual significance to the confrontation of David and Goliath than that.
David and our Lord Jesus have so many things in common. Both are from Bethlehem.
Both come from humble means: David being a shepherd, and Jesus being from the family of a carpenter.
Both endured trials in preparation for their ministries at the beginning of their lives. David in his persecution from Saul, and Jesus in his temptations from Satan in the wilderness.
Both became kings. David became the king of Israel, and our Lord became the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the King of Israel.
And both slayed a foe that was thought to be so great that no one or thing was thought to be able to overcome them.
David slayed Goliath, and our Lord Jesus Christ slayed death, sin, and Satan on the cross.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. " (Hebrews 2:14-15)
This is what I would say the spiritual significance of David versus Goliath really is. It is a foreshadowing or future anticipation of what Jesus Christ would do for us on the cross.
David is a biblical type of Christ. When we say that someone is a type of Christ, we are saying that a person in the Old Testament behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus’ character or actions in the New Testament. When we say that something is “typical” of Christ, we are saying that an object or event in the Old Testament can be viewed as representative of some quality of Jesus.
So as we begin our study of the life of David, take time to reflect on how these events correspond and foreshadow what Christ would do for us.
David was to become a great man of God. Praise be to God, that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was and is the greatest man of all time!!!
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
In chapter 15 of 1 Samuel, we see Saul has disobeyed the Lord again in not following the instructions of Samuel.
" But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" (1 Samuel 15:26)
From this point on, the focus of 1 Samuel now is the interaction between Saul and David. In chapter 16, Samuel anoints David as the future king of Israel.
And then we come to chapter 17. David and Goliath. This is probably one of the first, if not first, Bible story that many of us have ever heard.
When people talk about the confrontation between David and Goliath, the lessons often seem to come down to asking, "Who or what is the Goliath in your life and how can you slay them?"
But I would say there is a greater spiritual significance to the confrontation of David and Goliath than that.
David and our Lord Jesus have so many things in common. Both are from Bethlehem.
Both come from humble means: David being a shepherd, and Jesus being from the family of a carpenter.
Both endured trials in preparation for their ministries at the beginning of their lives. David in his persecution from Saul, and Jesus in his temptations from Satan in the wilderness.
Both became kings. David became the king of Israel, and our Lord became the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the King of Israel.
And both slayed a foe that was thought to be so great that no one or thing was thought to be able to overcome them.
David slayed Goliath, and our Lord Jesus Christ slayed death, sin, and Satan on the cross.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. " (Hebrews 2:14-15)
This is what I would say the spiritual significance of David versus Goliath really is. It is a foreshadowing or future anticipation of what Jesus Christ would do for us on the cross.
David is a biblical type of Christ. When we say that someone is a type of Christ, we are saying that a person in the Old Testament behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus’ character or actions in the New Testament. When we say that something is “typical” of Christ, we are saying that an object or event in the Old Testament can be viewed as representative of some quality of Jesus.
So as we begin our study of the life of David, take time to reflect on how these events correspond and foreshadow what Christ would do for us.
David was to become a great man of God. Praise be to God, that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was and is the greatest man of all time!!!
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
1 Samuel 13-14
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20samuel%2013-14&version=NIV
We seem to have a theme of waiting going on here lately…Samuel gave Saul clear instructions…wait for me. As a representative of God, what he was saying was in a sense, “wait for God”. But Saul became impatient. I know how he felt. I hate to wait. But often God makes us wait for many things, for many reasons. Maybe we need to be fully prepared to receive something. Maybe he is growing our faith. Maybe he has something better in mind and is working it out in the back ground. Regardless of the reason, most of us hate to wait.
But Saul committed the classic mistake that we’ve all made. He took matters into his own hands. Maybe you’ve done the same when God hasn’t provided for you exactly what you wanted when you wanted it. For Saul, the results were devastating. His kingdom would not endure. For us, often when we take matters into our own hands, the results are miserable as well. When we talk about taking matters into our own hands, it means we are operating outside of the will of God. It doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for God to drop xyz (insert desire here) into your lap. This is a perfect example of what DL was talking about in his blog comment yesterday. If your desire is to married, you can’t sit at home every night and wait for God to drop your mate off on your doorstep with a big red bow and a gift tag. On the other hand, you don’t want to be out there lookin for love in all the wrong places either. Basically, you strive to live your life in a godly way and God will put whatever blessing it is that you are waiting for in your path. Reminds me of that song…”I will serve you while I’m waiting…”. Recently, one of my friends said she that wanted to be a missionary in Honduras and someone said “you ain’t gonna find a husband there”. My answer to that is …serve God wherever he calls you and he will provide for you – her husband is probably in Honduras there waiting for her and wondering why she’s not there yet.
But the part about Saul’s story that really bothered me was Saul’s response when Samuel told him that his kingdom would not endure. At this time, we see no repentant heart, no distress, no weeping, no remorse at all. Samuel leaves and Saul starts counting up his 600 men. To me, this shows Saul’s true heart. He doesn’t believe that God is who he says he is and that he does what he says he will do. He doesn’t believe in God’s promises and He is not a man after God’s own heart.
We see a direct contrast in Jonathan. Saul was content in settling with the status quo. He didn’t want to stir things up with the Philistines, even though the Israelites were promised over and over again by God that He would deliver their enemies into their hands if they walked in faith and obedience. Saul only went into battle because Jonathan had forced him to defend the kingdom. Jonathan, on the other hand was ready to make things happen – within the will of God. The test he devised in going up against the Philistines was not to determine if God could deliver them, but if it was God’s will to deliver them at that time.
Isaiah 30:18 says, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Ask God to show you how to rest in the knowledge that God desires to bless you and that He is a God of justice. Take comfort in the knowledge that you are blessed when you long for God to fulfill the desires of your heart in His perfect time and in within His perfect will.
Feel free to share any experiences you’ve where you’ve operated either inside or outside of the will of God and what the results were.
Today's blog submitted by Kelly Coxe
We seem to have a theme of waiting going on here lately…Samuel gave Saul clear instructions…wait for me. As a representative of God, what he was saying was in a sense, “wait for God”. But Saul became impatient. I know how he felt. I hate to wait. But often God makes us wait for many things, for many reasons. Maybe we need to be fully prepared to receive something. Maybe he is growing our faith. Maybe he has something better in mind and is working it out in the back ground. Regardless of the reason, most of us hate to wait.
But Saul committed the classic mistake that we’ve all made. He took matters into his own hands. Maybe you’ve done the same when God hasn’t provided for you exactly what you wanted when you wanted it. For Saul, the results were devastating. His kingdom would not endure. For us, often when we take matters into our own hands, the results are miserable as well. When we talk about taking matters into our own hands, it means we are operating outside of the will of God. It doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for God to drop xyz (insert desire here) into your lap. This is a perfect example of what DL was talking about in his blog comment yesterday. If your desire is to married, you can’t sit at home every night and wait for God to drop your mate off on your doorstep with a big red bow and a gift tag. On the other hand, you don’t want to be out there lookin for love in all the wrong places either. Basically, you strive to live your life in a godly way and God will put whatever blessing it is that you are waiting for in your path. Reminds me of that song…”I will serve you while I’m waiting…”. Recently, one of my friends said she that wanted to be a missionary in Honduras and someone said “you ain’t gonna find a husband there”. My answer to that is …serve God wherever he calls you and he will provide for you – her husband is probably in Honduras there waiting for her and wondering why she’s not there yet.
But the part about Saul’s story that really bothered me was Saul’s response when Samuel told him that his kingdom would not endure. At this time, we see no repentant heart, no distress, no weeping, no remorse at all. Samuel leaves and Saul starts counting up his 600 men. To me, this shows Saul’s true heart. He doesn’t believe that God is who he says he is and that he does what he says he will do. He doesn’t believe in God’s promises and He is not a man after God’s own heart.
We see a direct contrast in Jonathan. Saul was content in settling with the status quo. He didn’t want to stir things up with the Philistines, even though the Israelites were promised over and over again by God that He would deliver their enemies into their hands if they walked in faith and obedience. Saul only went into battle because Jonathan had forced him to defend the kingdom. Jonathan, on the other hand was ready to make things happen – within the will of God. The test he devised in going up against the Philistines was not to determine if God could deliver them, but if it was God’s will to deliver them at that time.
Isaiah 30:18 says, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Ask God to show you how to rest in the knowledge that God desires to bless you and that He is a God of justice. Take comfort in the knowledge that you are blessed when you long for God to fulfill the desires of your heart in His perfect time and in within His perfect will.
Feel free to share any experiences you’ve where you’ve operated either inside or outside of the will of God and what the results were.
Today's blog submitted by Kelly Coxe
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
1 Samuel 9-12
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%209-12&version=NIV
Today’s passage reminds me that we should be careful what we wish for. Or in this case, what we pray for. In yesterdays passage, the people of Israel desired a king in spite of the warnings from Samuel (1 Sam 8:10-18). In today’s passage, after Saul was anointed and won his first battle, the Israelites felt confident that they made the right decision in asking for a king. Samuel reminded them that what they thought was a good decision, was not a God decision. Their desire for a king was a rejection of God as their King – 1 Samuel 12:12 "But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'-even though the LORD your God was your king.” Then, in verses 16-18, God gave a sign to show the people what an “evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king”. The people of Israel then begged Samuel to ask God for mercy for the evil they committed. They knew they had messed up and they knew there would be consequences for their rejection of God. God would spare them, and leave them with another warning. They were to serve Him and Him alone or they and their king would be swept away.
I think the biggest lesson here is that we should always remember to make sure our prayers line up with God’s will. He is our King and it should be the desire of our hearts to acknowledge His presence on the throne of our lives. When our hearts move toward a desire to allow something or someone else to take His place on the throne of our lives, there will be consequences. He may even give us what we think we want for a while, just so we can see that it’s not really what we wanted in the first place. The reality of it is that even when Saul was anointed as king, God continued to reign over His Kingdom. His sovereignty was evident every step of the way in the process of Saul’s anointment and his reign. God never left His throne and He never will – his place on the throne is established and is everlasting (Psalm 91).
Is there a battle for the throne going on in your life? Who or what desires to take God’s place on the throne of your life? In our society, we tend to acknowledge work, family, relationships, desires, and vain ambitions as king in our lives. But God is always in control, every step of the way. He reigns whether we accept him as our King or not. Pray that God will open your eyes to the desires that are vying for a place on His throne. Ask that he will lead your heart back to Him in full acknowledgement as the established and everlasting King over your life. Pray that he will direct your prayers to line up with his perfect and good will. Acknowledge his power to do more than we could possibly imagine!
Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Today’s passage reminds me that we should be careful what we wish for. Or in this case, what we pray for. In yesterdays passage, the people of Israel desired a king in spite of the warnings from Samuel (1 Sam 8:10-18). In today’s passage, after Saul was anointed and won his first battle, the Israelites felt confident that they made the right decision in asking for a king. Samuel reminded them that what they thought was a good decision, was not a God decision. Their desire for a king was a rejection of God as their King – 1 Samuel 12:12 "But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us'-even though the LORD your God was your king.” Then, in verses 16-18, God gave a sign to show the people what an “evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king”. The people of Israel then begged Samuel to ask God for mercy for the evil they committed. They knew they had messed up and they knew there would be consequences for their rejection of God. God would spare them, and leave them with another warning. They were to serve Him and Him alone or they and their king would be swept away.
I think the biggest lesson here is that we should always remember to make sure our prayers line up with God’s will. He is our King and it should be the desire of our hearts to acknowledge His presence on the throne of our lives. When our hearts move toward a desire to allow something or someone else to take His place on the throne of our lives, there will be consequences. He may even give us what we think we want for a while, just so we can see that it’s not really what we wanted in the first place. The reality of it is that even when Saul was anointed as king, God continued to reign over His Kingdom. His sovereignty was evident every step of the way in the process of Saul’s anointment and his reign. God never left His throne and He never will – his place on the throne is established and is everlasting (Psalm 91).
Is there a battle for the throne going on in your life? Who or what desires to take God’s place on the throne of your life? In our society, we tend to acknowledge work, family, relationships, desires, and vain ambitions as king in our lives. But God is always in control, every step of the way. He reigns whether we accept him as our King or not. Pray that God will open your eyes to the desires that are vying for a place on His throne. Ask that he will lead your heart back to Him in full acknowledgement as the established and everlasting King over your life. Pray that he will direct your prayers to line up with his perfect and good will. Acknowledge his power to do more than we could possibly imagine!
Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Monday, April 12, 2010
Raiders of the Lost Ark - 1 Samuel 4-8
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%204-8&version=NIV
1 SAMUEL 4 - 8
As I read today’s passage, I am compelled by the sense of loss that the Israelites must have felt when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by their enemy. What a devastating blow! I would imagine that it was a similar feeling that the disciples felt when they saw Jesus captured by His enemies. How could this be God’s will?
And yet, it was God’s will for the Ark to be captured. Of course, this is unbeknownst to the children of Israel at the time. While they were in despair thinking that the Lord had abandoned them, the Lord was well at work letting the Philistines know who is God. It’s quite comedic how the Ark becomes a figurative “hot potato” which no Philistine city wants to take in! When the Ark returns triumphantly, there is great rejoicing, and Samuel is able to guide Israel away from their idols and back to the Lord.
There are times when we may feel that the Lord has abandoned us. During those times we must examine ourselves and see if, in fact, it is we who have abandoned God. If so, we must repent and return our lives to Him. Remember, if we have faith in Him and remain faithful to Him, we have much reason to hope. For as Paul says in Romans 8:28:
We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Even when we cannot see God at work in our lives, trust me -- He is most definitely there.
Believe it!
Chad
1 SAMUEL 4 - 8
As I read today’s passage, I am compelled by the sense of loss that the Israelites must have felt when the Ark of the Covenant was captured by their enemy. What a devastating blow! I would imagine that it was a similar feeling that the disciples felt when they saw Jesus captured by His enemies. How could this be God’s will?
And yet, it was God’s will for the Ark to be captured. Of course, this is unbeknownst to the children of Israel at the time. While they were in despair thinking that the Lord had abandoned them, the Lord was well at work letting the Philistines know who is God. It’s quite comedic how the Ark becomes a figurative “hot potato” which no Philistine city wants to take in! When the Ark returns triumphantly, there is great rejoicing, and Samuel is able to guide Israel away from their idols and back to the Lord.
There are times when we may feel that the Lord has abandoned us. During those times we must examine ourselves and see if, in fact, it is we who have abandoned God. If so, we must repent and return our lives to Him. Remember, if we have faith in Him and remain faithful to Him, we have much reason to hope. For as Paul says in Romans 8:28:
We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Even when we cannot see God at work in our lives, trust me -- He is most definitely there.
Believe it!
Chad
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The God who fulfills desire of our hearts - 1 Samuel 1-3
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%201-3&version=NIV
I doubt anyone likes to the word ‘wait’. If given a choice, I doubt many of us would choose to wait – for anything. I considered one time writing a book on waiting because I seem to be an expert on the subject (not be my own choice, I assure you). I’d give the book the title, ‘No One Wants To Read This Book’, because if you are reading a book on waiting, that probably means you are waiting, and no one likes to do that!
Today I’d like to focus on the story of Hannah. I can relate well to Hannah – I imagine many of us can. Hannah had an unfilled longing. She had a desire of her heart that was good and godly and seemed to be part of her very being, and yet that desire went unfulfilled. Can anyone relate to that? I imagine that we all can as all of us, at some time, have waited for God to fulfill a desire of our hearts. Many of us currently are in a season of waiting.
Like Hannah, I have often brought my unfulfilled desires before the throne of God. Like Hannah, I have wept about those unfulfilled desires. Like Hannah, I have asked God ‘to look upon his servants misery and remember me’. And that is why Hannah’s story is one of my favorites – because it reminds me that God does indeed remember me every day and that there will be a time when the longing is filled, when the expected arrives. Here’s one of my favorite passages:
“…and the Lord remembered her.” – 1 Samuel 1:19
I pray that over myself often – that God would remember me as he remembered Hannah. Let’s talk about that phrase for a moment. When we think of the word ‘remembered’ we tend to think of it in terms of something forgettable – as in, ‘I remembered your birthday’ or, ‘I remembered that I owe you $20’, or ‘I remember now what I wanted to tell you.’ It tends to be a one-time remembering – a past-tense type of action. Not so in this case. The word ‘remembered’ as used here is translated as “to be mindful”. It is an on-going action, not a one-time recall. In addition, when ‘remember’ is used in the context of God’s people, it is not only an ongoing mindfulness, but is associated with acts of loving care and favor. Check out some of the other times it is used in Scripture:
Genesis 8:1 – God remembered Noah and brought a wind that dried up the waters
Genesis 30:22 – God remembered Rachel and she gave birth to a son – Joseph
Exodus 2:24 – God remembered the Israelites and his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob
Take heart, my friends, God is mindful of you. Take heart, God remembers you with loving care and favor. And yet, he seems to be holding out on bringing these longed for desires and at times that does not feel very loving. Why do we continue to wait?
Let’s look to God’s word for our answer, using first the people of Israel while they are in captivity in Egypt. They spent 430 years in Egypt before God brought them out, and by the time he did, they were groaning under the yoke of slavery. So what was he up to and why did he wait so long? Certainly it must have felt like they were forgotten as where his covenant promises to them. Not true. God was actively working out his plan for fulfilling his covenant promise of making them into a people and a great nation. When Israel entered Egypt, there were 70 people. When they left, they were 600,000 men alone – not to mention women and children. God built them into a nation large enough to populate a land. In addition, by bringing that many people out of Egypt and into the desert where he would provide for them, His glory was displayed in such a more miraculous way.
And so it was with Hannah also. God has a specific purpose and plan that was the cause of the delayed desires. He had a specific prophet that he wanted to raise up at a specific time for a specific purpose. He chose Hannah as the conduit for accomplishing this purpose, knowing that the fulfillment of her longed for desire would result in a heart of such great thankfulness that she would dedicate this gift from the Lord to the Lord. God knew Hannah’s heart before time began, and he knew that her response would place the boy Samuel in the temple where he would be taught by Eli and called by God.
Beth Moore says that often times when a deep desire of our hearts is delayed in coming, it is because God has this desire wrapped up into a larger purpose and plan for his kingdom. And oh, my friends – how brilliantly the glory of God appears when a longed for desire is delivered in supernatural timing. So my question for you is this: Would you rather have God fulfill your desire naturally, or supernaturally?
Hold on, walk in faith, your good and godly desire is before God – he daily remembers it and is working on your behalf. There will be a day when they expected will arrive, and like Hannah we will sing praises for what God has done. Until that day, I pray that God will meet you in your longing and give you the gift of joy, peace and contentment that gives you a certainty that he is there beside you. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord!
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. They eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. – Psalm 145:13-16
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
I doubt anyone likes to the word ‘wait’. If given a choice, I doubt many of us would choose to wait – for anything. I considered one time writing a book on waiting because I seem to be an expert on the subject (not be my own choice, I assure you). I’d give the book the title, ‘No One Wants To Read This Book’, because if you are reading a book on waiting, that probably means you are waiting, and no one likes to do that!
Today I’d like to focus on the story of Hannah. I can relate well to Hannah – I imagine many of us can. Hannah had an unfilled longing. She had a desire of her heart that was good and godly and seemed to be part of her very being, and yet that desire went unfulfilled. Can anyone relate to that? I imagine that we all can as all of us, at some time, have waited for God to fulfill a desire of our hearts. Many of us currently are in a season of waiting.
Like Hannah, I have often brought my unfulfilled desires before the throne of God. Like Hannah, I have wept about those unfulfilled desires. Like Hannah, I have asked God ‘to look upon his servants misery and remember me’. And that is why Hannah’s story is one of my favorites – because it reminds me that God does indeed remember me every day and that there will be a time when the longing is filled, when the expected arrives. Here’s one of my favorite passages:
“…and the Lord remembered her.” – 1 Samuel 1:19
I pray that over myself often – that God would remember me as he remembered Hannah. Let’s talk about that phrase for a moment. When we think of the word ‘remembered’ we tend to think of it in terms of something forgettable – as in, ‘I remembered your birthday’ or, ‘I remembered that I owe you $20’, or ‘I remember now what I wanted to tell you.’ It tends to be a one-time remembering – a past-tense type of action. Not so in this case. The word ‘remembered’ as used here is translated as “to be mindful”. It is an on-going action, not a one-time recall. In addition, when ‘remember’ is used in the context of God’s people, it is not only an ongoing mindfulness, but is associated with acts of loving care and favor. Check out some of the other times it is used in Scripture:
Genesis 8:1 – God remembered Noah and brought a wind that dried up the waters
Genesis 30:22 – God remembered Rachel and she gave birth to a son – Joseph
Exodus 2:24 – God remembered the Israelites and his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob
Take heart, my friends, God is mindful of you. Take heart, God remembers you with loving care and favor. And yet, he seems to be holding out on bringing these longed for desires and at times that does not feel very loving. Why do we continue to wait?
Let’s look to God’s word for our answer, using first the people of Israel while they are in captivity in Egypt. They spent 430 years in Egypt before God brought them out, and by the time he did, they were groaning under the yoke of slavery. So what was he up to and why did he wait so long? Certainly it must have felt like they were forgotten as where his covenant promises to them. Not true. God was actively working out his plan for fulfilling his covenant promise of making them into a people and a great nation. When Israel entered Egypt, there were 70 people. When they left, they were 600,000 men alone – not to mention women and children. God built them into a nation large enough to populate a land. In addition, by bringing that many people out of Egypt and into the desert where he would provide for them, His glory was displayed in such a more miraculous way.
And so it was with Hannah also. God has a specific purpose and plan that was the cause of the delayed desires. He had a specific prophet that he wanted to raise up at a specific time for a specific purpose. He chose Hannah as the conduit for accomplishing this purpose, knowing that the fulfillment of her longed for desire would result in a heart of such great thankfulness that she would dedicate this gift from the Lord to the Lord. God knew Hannah’s heart before time began, and he knew that her response would place the boy Samuel in the temple where he would be taught by Eli and called by God.
Beth Moore says that often times when a deep desire of our hearts is delayed in coming, it is because God has this desire wrapped up into a larger purpose and plan for his kingdom. And oh, my friends – how brilliantly the glory of God appears when a longed for desire is delivered in supernatural timing. So my question for you is this: Would you rather have God fulfill your desire naturally, or supernaturally?
Hold on, walk in faith, your good and godly desire is before God – he daily remembers it and is working on your behalf. There will be a day when they expected will arrive, and like Hannah we will sing praises for what God has done. Until that day, I pray that God will meet you in your longing and give you the gift of joy, peace and contentment that gives you a certainty that he is there beside you. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord!
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. They eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. – Psalm 145:13-16
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
Saturday, April 10, 2010
God of New Hope, Restorer of Shattered Dreams - Ruth
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+1&version=NIV
Today we read the book of Ruth. In the midst of a time filled with moral and religious decay, we find a remnant of true faith and piety and a glimpse into the private lives of God’s people. It is this type of glimpse that allows us to see real people dealing with real life and all of the struggles and disappointments, joys, hope and victories that life on this earth entails. We watch real people walk with God through a valley and back to the mountain top. We watch God take people on a journey of healing, hope, and redemption – a journey that he still leads people on today.
As the curtain is pulled back, we find Naomi facing a destitute life of loss and shattered dreams. Her husband died, followed by the death of her two sons – and Naomi is left. Her life is emptied of husband and sons. This is the beginning of a literal journey back to her people to whom she returns declaring, “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Ruth 1:21.
More importantly, her emptiness marks the beginning of a spiritual journey that will turn her emptiness into fullness, her destitution into hope. Her spiritual journey of healing and hope is rewritten by God over and over again in the lives of his people. I’ve been on the journey. My best friend has been on it as well. My sister has been on it several times, as has my mother, my father, my friends – not by our own choosing. As I work in the counseling office, I’ve had the privilege of walking with many as they go on this journey. The path looks a little different for each person – but the results are the same – a person whose life and very being are refined by fire into a reflection of the glory of God.
Despite the difference in each individual’s journey, there are certain legs of the journey that are evident in each one. We find these in Naomi’s story and can hold onto the promise that when God sets us on a journey through a valley, he will lay a path that will lead us to encounter each. I have a story from one of my clients (I’ll call it Hope’s story – not her real name – she is a teenage girl) that also demonstrates the same legs along the journey that I’d like to share. Read their stories and hold onto her healing, hope, and redemption of a shattered dream as your hope that God will work the same into your journey.
The beginning of the journey: Emptiness
We’ve already read about Naomi’s. Hope’s emptiness begins at age 14 when she says, “trying to fill my emptiness, I gave myself away to someone who did not deserve me, leaving me feel worthless, unbeautiful, torn broken, and far more alone. I tried to fill the hole up with alcohol, drugs, and sex. I was on a steady path to destruction”.
Those who walk with you along the way: Authentic Christian Community
In the midst of this journey we will see God work healing in the context of authentic Christian community, beginning with the sweet devotion and self-giving love of Ruth, who has nothing to gain but sharing in Naomi’s desolation. Then we see God set Naomi in the midst of Naomi’s people.
Hope’s story continues with God placing her in a healing community. She writes, “Thankfully, I am blessed with the most amazing parents who have provided counseling, therapy, doctors and love.”
God provides along the journey: Emptiness is Filled
We see God give Naomi a kinsman-redeemer (Boaz). He provides food to fill her and then protection and redemption as he marries Ruth, bring both Ruth and Naomi under the protection of his home. “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed”. Ruth 3:17
In Hope’s journey, God himself steps in and ultimately what fills her as she writes, “One night I went on a run, and as I ran, I prayed and prayed that God would life my heartache and my feeling of unworthiness…tears were pouring down my face and I could feel God’s strong embrace holding me so tightly. I could feel him telling me how beautiful I am and how much He loves me, wants me, and cherishes me.” Hope also told me that God gave her gifts as he healed her. She said she received the gift of a forgiving heart and the gift of a heart that was not judgmental.
In the end is a life transformed: Security and New Hope
At the end of the Naomi’s journey we find Boaz and Ruth bringing a son into the world. The women say to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age’…Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him” – Ruth 4:14-15. What an amazing picture – a woman without hope, without family, with old-age making family seemingly hopeless, is given new family – new hope. But more importantly, she’s given a picture of God’s unfailing love, faithfulness, and the ability to fill our emptiness with new hope that she would never have seen on the journey.
Hope’s story ends much the same. She told me that used her depression to heal her of things she did not even know where broken, and now he continues to heal her depression. She writes, “As I write with tears pouring from my eyes, I will tell you that God is real and that He is my deliverer, my stronghold, my father, my strength, my refuge, my smile. I praise the Lord for everything I have been through because every single bit of pain is worthy what he has shown me. I will forever praise Him with every ounce of talent He has given me; I will praise Him through pain, sorrow, heartache, and trials for he has made me into a strong being. God is my pride.”
I’ll end with a phrase I often find myself telling my clients as they begin this journey from brokenness to hope and healing. “I know that where you are right now is a hard place and that this journey is not one you would choose. There are times when it will feel like the pain is not worth it. You will want to pretend it isn’t there or try to find something to make yourself feel better even for just a moment. But here is what I want you to know – if you allow yourself to feel the pain, to even sit in it for a while if that is what it takes, I promise that God will come and sit with you. Then he will take you by the hand and he will lead you down the path and at the end of the journey, you won’t even recognize the person that you are. You and the things in your life will not return to what they where before the journey began. Instead, you will be a new person, your life will be made new, and your faith will be stronger then you ever imagined it would be. Be willing to walk the road - there will be people who will walk with you along the way, and God will be your constant companion. The destination will beyond what you imagine.”
Praise God that he is a God of new hope and a redeemer of shattered dreams!
Today we read the book of Ruth. In the midst of a time filled with moral and religious decay, we find a remnant of true faith and piety and a glimpse into the private lives of God’s people. It is this type of glimpse that allows us to see real people dealing with real life and all of the struggles and disappointments, joys, hope and victories that life on this earth entails. We watch real people walk with God through a valley and back to the mountain top. We watch God take people on a journey of healing, hope, and redemption – a journey that he still leads people on today.
As the curtain is pulled back, we find Naomi facing a destitute life of loss and shattered dreams. Her husband died, followed by the death of her two sons – and Naomi is left. Her life is emptied of husband and sons. This is the beginning of a literal journey back to her people to whom she returns declaring, “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Ruth 1:21.
More importantly, her emptiness marks the beginning of a spiritual journey that will turn her emptiness into fullness, her destitution into hope. Her spiritual journey of healing and hope is rewritten by God over and over again in the lives of his people. I’ve been on the journey. My best friend has been on it as well. My sister has been on it several times, as has my mother, my father, my friends – not by our own choosing. As I work in the counseling office, I’ve had the privilege of walking with many as they go on this journey. The path looks a little different for each person – but the results are the same – a person whose life and very being are refined by fire into a reflection of the glory of God.
Despite the difference in each individual’s journey, there are certain legs of the journey that are evident in each one. We find these in Naomi’s story and can hold onto the promise that when God sets us on a journey through a valley, he will lay a path that will lead us to encounter each. I have a story from one of my clients (I’ll call it Hope’s story – not her real name – she is a teenage girl) that also demonstrates the same legs along the journey that I’d like to share. Read their stories and hold onto her healing, hope, and redemption of a shattered dream as your hope that God will work the same into your journey.
The beginning of the journey: Emptiness
We’ve already read about Naomi’s. Hope’s emptiness begins at age 14 when she says, “trying to fill my emptiness, I gave myself away to someone who did not deserve me, leaving me feel worthless, unbeautiful, torn broken, and far more alone. I tried to fill the hole up with alcohol, drugs, and sex. I was on a steady path to destruction”.
Those who walk with you along the way: Authentic Christian Community
In the midst of this journey we will see God work healing in the context of authentic Christian community, beginning with the sweet devotion and self-giving love of Ruth, who has nothing to gain but sharing in Naomi’s desolation. Then we see God set Naomi in the midst of Naomi’s people.
Hope’s story continues with God placing her in a healing community. She writes, “Thankfully, I am blessed with the most amazing parents who have provided counseling, therapy, doctors and love.”
God provides along the journey: Emptiness is Filled
We see God give Naomi a kinsman-redeemer (Boaz). He provides food to fill her and then protection and redemption as he marries Ruth, bring both Ruth and Naomi under the protection of his home. “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed”. Ruth 3:17
In Hope’s journey, God himself steps in and ultimately what fills her as she writes, “One night I went on a run, and as I ran, I prayed and prayed that God would life my heartache and my feeling of unworthiness…tears were pouring down my face and I could feel God’s strong embrace holding me so tightly. I could feel him telling me how beautiful I am and how much He loves me, wants me, and cherishes me.” Hope also told me that God gave her gifts as he healed her. She said she received the gift of a forgiving heart and the gift of a heart that was not judgmental.
In the end is a life transformed: Security and New Hope
At the end of the Naomi’s journey we find Boaz and Ruth bringing a son into the world. The women say to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel. He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age’…Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him” – Ruth 4:14-15. What an amazing picture – a woman without hope, without family, with old-age making family seemingly hopeless, is given new family – new hope. But more importantly, she’s given a picture of God’s unfailing love, faithfulness, and the ability to fill our emptiness with new hope that she would never have seen on the journey.
Hope’s story ends much the same. She told me that used her depression to heal her of things she did not even know where broken, and now he continues to heal her depression. She writes, “As I write with tears pouring from my eyes, I will tell you that God is real and that He is my deliverer, my stronghold, my father, my strength, my refuge, my smile. I praise the Lord for everything I have been through because every single bit of pain is worthy what he has shown me. I will forever praise Him with every ounce of talent He has given me; I will praise Him through pain, sorrow, heartache, and trials for he has made me into a strong being. God is my pride.”
I’ll end with a phrase I often find myself telling my clients as they begin this journey from brokenness to hope and healing. “I know that where you are right now is a hard place and that this journey is not one you would choose. There are times when it will feel like the pain is not worth it. You will want to pretend it isn’t there or try to find something to make yourself feel better even for just a moment. But here is what I want you to know – if you allow yourself to feel the pain, to even sit in it for a while if that is what it takes, I promise that God will come and sit with you. Then he will take you by the hand and he will lead you down the path and at the end of the journey, you won’t even recognize the person that you are. You and the things in your life will not return to what they where before the journey began. Instead, you will be a new person, your life will be made new, and your faith will be stronger then you ever imagined it would be. Be willing to walk the road - there will be people who will walk with you along the way, and God will be your constant companion. The destination will beyond what you imagine.”
Praise God that he is a God of new hope and a redeemer of shattered dreams!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Judges 19-21
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2019-21&version=NIV
Judges 21:25 "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."
As we end the book of Judges, we see the depths to which Israel has sunk. Chapter 19 covers the sordid affair of the concubine who was raped, and then cut up into twelve pieces and sent throughout Israel.
Chapter 20 and 21 detail the Benjamite war that came about as a result of the events of chapter 19.
The people of Israel have once again acted immorally and as a result this has led to civil war within the nation.
You may say this could not happen today. We are not that bad. Why do we need to read about events such as these that happened so long ago and to such a primitive people?
1 Corinthians 10:11 says, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come."
Reflect on your life. Are you doing what you want to do, rather than following God's will? Have you had success in life and have not relied on the Lord?
1 Corinthians 10:12 says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"
In the men's small group the fellas of the Bridge had, we learned that we ought to have a sober spiritual assessment of ourselves.
This comes from Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
That means that we must look at these heinous sins and realize that we could do them. We are just as evil as the people of Israel are, save for that we have been purchased by Jesus Christ and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. When we operate in the flesh, it is easy to do things as we see fit.
I used to look at disgust when I was younger at others when they committed a grievous sin, like adultery, or theft, or the like. I thought how could they do that and that I would never do that. But I realize that I was wrong in this, I did not have a sober spiritual assessment of myself, and I now realize it is only by the grace of God that I have been kept these or other sins.
We will never be sinless in this world, but we can sin less. By staying in God's Word, prayer, fellowship and accountability with the Body of Christ, the Lord will enable us to stay away from these grievous sins. But you know, we also need to be aware of what Jerry Bridges calls "respectable sins". Sins that we often think are ok.
As one of my favorite authors has written, "Sin is doing what God forbids and not doing what God commands." That is all encompassing in my book.
As we move on to the book of Ruth, take a moment to reflect on how Israel as a nation has fallen so far from God after He had gloriously rescued them from Egypt.
The good news for us is that God is a God of grace. You have never gone too far from God as long as you repent of your sins and trust in Him and what He has in store for your life.
Forsaking
All
I
Trust
Him
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Judges 21:25 "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."
As we end the book of Judges, we see the depths to which Israel has sunk. Chapter 19 covers the sordid affair of the concubine who was raped, and then cut up into twelve pieces and sent throughout Israel.
Chapter 20 and 21 detail the Benjamite war that came about as a result of the events of chapter 19.
The people of Israel have once again acted immorally and as a result this has led to civil war within the nation.
You may say this could not happen today. We are not that bad. Why do we need to read about events such as these that happened so long ago and to such a primitive people?
1 Corinthians 10:11 says, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come."
Reflect on your life. Are you doing what you want to do, rather than following God's will? Have you had success in life and have not relied on the Lord?
1 Corinthians 10:12 says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"
In the men's small group the fellas of the Bridge had, we learned that we ought to have a sober spiritual assessment of ourselves.
This comes from Romans 12:3 "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
That means that we must look at these heinous sins and realize that we could do them. We are just as evil as the people of Israel are, save for that we have been purchased by Jesus Christ and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. When we operate in the flesh, it is easy to do things as we see fit.
I used to look at disgust when I was younger at others when they committed a grievous sin, like adultery, or theft, or the like. I thought how could they do that and that I would never do that. But I realize that I was wrong in this, I did not have a sober spiritual assessment of myself, and I now realize it is only by the grace of God that I have been kept these or other sins.
We will never be sinless in this world, but we can sin less. By staying in God's Word, prayer, fellowship and accountability with the Body of Christ, the Lord will enable us to stay away from these grievous sins. But you know, we also need to be aware of what Jerry Bridges calls "respectable sins". Sins that we often think are ok.
As one of my favorite authors has written, "Sin is doing what God forbids and not doing what God commands." That is all encompassing in my book.
As we move on to the book of Ruth, take a moment to reflect on how Israel as a nation has fallen so far from God after He had gloriously rescued them from Egypt.
The good news for us is that God is a God of grace. You have never gone too far from God as long as you repent of your sins and trust in Him and what He has in store for your life.
Forsaking
All
I
Trust
Him
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Judges 16-18
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016-18&version=NIV
Today's post will be directed primarily towards the men of the class, although, I do hope the women will profit from it as well.
Samson. A man of contradictions. A man who was filled with the Spirit of God, yet succumbed to fleshly passions. A man who rebelled against God, yet is recorded as a man of faith in Hebrews chapter 11:
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions," (Hebrews 11:32-33)
How can this be? Let's look at this last stage of Samson's life and see how a man who sinned gravely is still regarded as a man of faith.
At the beginning of chapter 16, we see that Samson spent the night with a prostitute. Then, immediately following that, he met Delilah. So, Samson has had improper relations with women three times now.
I heard a pastor say that the message of chapters 14 and 15 to us is the danger of misguided alliances. Samson knew that he should not go after Philistine women, and for sure, he knew not to see a prostitute. Why did he continue to have such relationships then? Because he was operating in the flesh.
Romans 8:6-8 states, "6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. "
He let his passions and sexuality control him. The Canaanite culture was a highly sexualized culture. That is why the story of Samson resonates so much with us today, as we live in such a highly sexualized culture. The sad story of the governor of South Carolina comes recently to mind.
As Christian men, I know the majority of us would desire to be married one day. Now is the time to cultivate your desire and love for the Lord. You may think, I can take a look at that web site, or go watch that movie, or see how far I can go on a date with that woman. But the Word of God says,
" 23 "But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out." (Numbers 23:23)
You know each morning, I pray to the Lord that I would live a life that is God honoring and glorifying. I know I fail in this each day but I strive to live a life that is worthy of His Gospel. (Ephesians 4:1) We must do the hard things now. Do not dally with sin.
In Samson's case, we see that he dallied with sin. In the instance with Delilah, he dallied 3 times, and caved on the fourth. Each time he got closer to the truth, where he even told Delilah about his hair, although not the whole truth of it, in her third plea to him.
People always want to know what the will of God is for their life. The Word of God says,
"3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."
The will of God for both women and men is to not be sexually immoral. When we reject God's Word on this we are rejecting God.
I know this is not an easy thing for us. We are inundated and tempted by images, media, and people all the time in this area. But as Randy Alcorn said in his book The Purity Principle, "Purity is always smart. Impurity is always stupid."
So why is Samson included in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11? Because he was a man of God who prayed to God at the very end. He killed more Philistines at the last than he did in his whole life. God was gracious to him and used him at the end of his life.
Samson is a lesson for both men and women. He is a great example of an individual who was blessed by God but in so many ways he squandered these gifts to satisfy his own carnal desires.
God is gracious. Even when we fall, He has this great promise for us,
" 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Pray today and reflect on what the Lord has given you. Pray that you might grow spiritually mature in the faith and that you might be able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Pray that you might live a life that is honorable to God. That God would view your life in a similar way to what Paul wrote about David,
"36"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed."
To have served God's purpose in our lives. Now that is what I call a testimony!!!
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Today's post will be directed primarily towards the men of the class, although, I do hope the women will profit from it as well.
Samson. A man of contradictions. A man who was filled with the Spirit of God, yet succumbed to fleshly passions. A man who rebelled against God, yet is recorded as a man of faith in Hebrews chapter 11:
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions," (Hebrews 11:32-33)
How can this be? Let's look at this last stage of Samson's life and see how a man who sinned gravely is still regarded as a man of faith.
At the beginning of chapter 16, we see that Samson spent the night with a prostitute. Then, immediately following that, he met Delilah. So, Samson has had improper relations with women three times now.
I heard a pastor say that the message of chapters 14 and 15 to us is the danger of misguided alliances. Samson knew that he should not go after Philistine women, and for sure, he knew not to see a prostitute. Why did he continue to have such relationships then? Because he was operating in the flesh.
Romans 8:6-8 states, "6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. "
He let his passions and sexuality control him. The Canaanite culture was a highly sexualized culture. That is why the story of Samson resonates so much with us today, as we live in such a highly sexualized culture. The sad story of the governor of South Carolina comes recently to mind.
As Christian men, I know the majority of us would desire to be married one day. Now is the time to cultivate your desire and love for the Lord. You may think, I can take a look at that web site, or go watch that movie, or see how far I can go on a date with that woman. But the Word of God says,
" 23 "But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out." (Numbers 23:23)
You know each morning, I pray to the Lord that I would live a life that is God honoring and glorifying. I know I fail in this each day but I strive to live a life that is worthy of His Gospel. (Ephesians 4:1) We must do the hard things now. Do not dally with sin.
In Samson's case, we see that he dallied with sin. In the instance with Delilah, he dallied 3 times, and caved on the fourth. Each time he got closer to the truth, where he even told Delilah about his hair, although not the whole truth of it, in her third plea to him.
People always want to know what the will of God is for their life. The Word of God says,
"3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."
The will of God for both women and men is to not be sexually immoral. When we reject God's Word on this we are rejecting God.
I know this is not an easy thing for us. We are inundated and tempted by images, media, and people all the time in this area. But as Randy Alcorn said in his book The Purity Principle, "Purity is always smart. Impurity is always stupid."
So why is Samson included in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11? Because he was a man of God who prayed to God at the very end. He killed more Philistines at the last than he did in his whole life. God was gracious to him and used him at the end of his life.
Samson is a lesson for both men and women. He is a great example of an individual who was blessed by God but in so many ways he squandered these gifts to satisfy his own carnal desires.
God is gracious. Even when we fall, He has this great promise for us,
" 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Pray today and reflect on what the Lord has given you. Pray that you might grow spiritually mature in the faith and that you might be able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Pray that you might live a life that is honorable to God. That God would view your life in a similar way to what Paul wrote about David,
"36"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed."
To have served God's purpose in our lives. Now that is what I call a testimony!!!
Soli Deo Gloria.
Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Judges 13-15
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judges%2013-15&version=NIV
Our passage begins with the same phrase that is repeated over and over again in the book of Judges, ch 13:1, “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.” This time, God chooses to bring up Samson to begin the deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of the enemy.
Samson comes from a pretty amazing beginning. He was divinely announced by an angel of the Lord and miraculously conceived by a barren woman. He was raised by parents with a desire to be obedient to the Lord. He was called by the Lord to be a Nazarite, from birth (Nazarites took a vow to abstain from alcohol, practice extraordinary purity, and refrain from cutting their hair). He was blessed with the Spirit of the Lord from childhood. We should expect a pretty amazing example in Samson, but we are quickly disappointed.
Instead, we read about a guy who did not honor his parents, but instead orders them around and disregards their wishes. He did not practice purification after killing the lion and even went as far as to eat the unclean honey out of the carcass. He had a lot of brute strength, but was weak in his fleshly desires. He was self indulgent and acted out of anger and vengeance.
Can you believe that this is the guy that God chose to begin the deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of the enemy? We get a little bit of an explanation of God’s choice when Samson chose a Philistine to be his wife. His parents objected to the union, but Judges 14:4 explains, “(His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.). God would use Samson’s choices for His own purpose. Our amazing and sovereign God knows what we are going to do before we even think about doing it. We cannot thwart God’s plan no matter what choices we make. He’s planned for our decisions. Remember back in Genesis when Joseph’s brothers came before him and apologized for selling him into slavery. Joseph’s response was “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph knew that God had a plan and that his brothers’ choice to do evil was factored into that plan. In the same way, God had planned for the choices that Samson would make and would use them to fulfill his purposes. The thing is, if God waited around for someone who was perfect to use for the purpose of fulfilling His will, he'd be waiting a long time. We are all sinners and all fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23).
Does that mean that we shouldn’t bother striving for a life of obedience and purity? Of course not! For one, we don’t want to end up like Samson, whose choices left him feeling unsatisfied. For example – with all the time and effort he spent acquiring his wife, he ended up with a nagging wife who ultimately betrayed him. After the disastrous wedding, his father in law ends up giving his wife to his best man and later, her own people burn her to death. Not exactly a satisfying fulfillment of his desire to marry the Philistine, huh? Also, we’ve already seen many other examples of the consequences associated with sin and disobedience. We’ve also seen that often blessings are associated with obedience. But the most important reason for striving to live a life of obedience and purity is so that our lives can serve as a testimony to others. Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” The people we meet should get a glimpse of Jesus when they cross our paths. Do you love Jesus so much that you want everyone to see Him in you?
How does it feel to know that God can take our character flaws and sins and use them for his purpose? Has God ever used your sin or disobedience and turned it in to something good? Share with us on the blog!
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Our passage begins with the same phrase that is repeated over and over again in the book of Judges, ch 13:1, “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.” This time, God chooses to bring up Samson to begin the deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of the enemy.
Samson comes from a pretty amazing beginning. He was divinely announced by an angel of the Lord and miraculously conceived by a barren woman. He was raised by parents with a desire to be obedient to the Lord. He was called by the Lord to be a Nazarite, from birth (Nazarites took a vow to abstain from alcohol, practice extraordinary purity, and refrain from cutting their hair). He was blessed with the Spirit of the Lord from childhood. We should expect a pretty amazing example in Samson, but we are quickly disappointed.
Instead, we read about a guy who did not honor his parents, but instead orders them around and disregards their wishes. He did not practice purification after killing the lion and even went as far as to eat the unclean honey out of the carcass. He had a lot of brute strength, but was weak in his fleshly desires. He was self indulgent and acted out of anger and vengeance.
Can you believe that this is the guy that God chose to begin the deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of the enemy? We get a little bit of an explanation of God’s choice when Samson chose a Philistine to be his wife. His parents objected to the union, but Judges 14:4 explains, “(His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.). God would use Samson’s choices for His own purpose. Our amazing and sovereign God knows what we are going to do before we even think about doing it. We cannot thwart God’s plan no matter what choices we make. He’s planned for our decisions. Remember back in Genesis when Joseph’s brothers came before him and apologized for selling him into slavery. Joseph’s response was “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph knew that God had a plan and that his brothers’ choice to do evil was factored into that plan. In the same way, God had planned for the choices that Samson would make and would use them to fulfill his purposes. The thing is, if God waited around for someone who was perfect to use for the purpose of fulfilling His will, he'd be waiting a long time. We are all sinners and all fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23).
Does that mean that we shouldn’t bother striving for a life of obedience and purity? Of course not! For one, we don’t want to end up like Samson, whose choices left him feeling unsatisfied. For example – with all the time and effort he spent acquiring his wife, he ended up with a nagging wife who ultimately betrayed him. After the disastrous wedding, his father in law ends up giving his wife to his best man and later, her own people burn her to death. Not exactly a satisfying fulfillment of his desire to marry the Philistine, huh? Also, we’ve already seen many other examples of the consequences associated with sin and disobedience. We’ve also seen that often blessings are associated with obedience. But the most important reason for striving to live a life of obedience and purity is so that our lives can serve as a testimony to others. Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” The people we meet should get a glimpse of Jesus when they cross our paths. Do you love Jesus so much that you want everyone to see Him in you?
How does it feel to know that God can take our character flaws and sins and use them for his purpose? Has God ever used your sin or disobedience and turned it in to something good? Share with us on the blog!
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Monday, April 5, 2010
Judges 10-12
Today’s passage: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=judges%2010-12&version=NIV
First of all, I just want to take a minute to congratulate you! I am so happy that you have stuck with us on this journey of love through the Word of God. We are now one forth of the way through the text! For me, this is my first time reading the Bible through and there are many passages that I’ve never studied or read before. Today’s passage is one of them, and I have to admit that I found it to be a little ummm…disturbing. The majority of today’s passage focuses on Jephthah’s battle and his vow regarding his daughter. In Judges 11:30-31, Jephthah vows to the Lord “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." What’s disturbing about this vow is that in verse 34 we find that it is his daughter who comes out of the house to meet him and in verse 39 we find that Jephthah “did to her as he vowed”.
There is much debate as to whether or not Jephthah actually literally sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering. The conclusion I came to is this – it doesn’t matter whether he did or did not.
Here’s what we know – God never asked for Jephthah’s daughter and would never approve of her as a sacrifice. The laws of sacrifice to our Lord at that time required a male animal sacrifice: Leviticus 20:18-19, "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, 19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.” Other pagan religions did practice human sacrifice, but in Leviticus 18:21, God commands that anyone who does so should be put to death. Also, in Deuteronomy 12:31, we learn “You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.” God found the practice of human sacrifice to be detestable.
So, my point is, if Jephthah in fact literally offered his daughter as a burnt sacrifice, God did not approve of it. In fact, he would have hated it. As to why God did not intervene and prevent the sacrifice, I don’t know. The text doesn’t say. But based on what we know about God from the text that we’ve already read, we know that there are consequences for disobedience and sin and that God is the perfect and just judge. God made his covenant promises with Israel and God fully intended to keep them in spite of Jephthah’s unfortunate vow.
The lesson we can learn is this – when we make a vow to God, it should not be to solicit a blessing, but to show thanks and praise Him. Vows aren’t supposed to be negotiations with God, but a form of worship. Vows to God should be prayerfully considered and should line up with his truths and promises. Most importantly, if we make a vow to God, we should not break our word, but do everything we said. Whatever promises we make, we should be fully prepared to carry out.
Please feel free to post comments or questions on the blog!!
If you’d like to read more, I can suggest two articles:
http://bible.org/seriespage/jephthah-words-matter-judges-101-1215 - Bob Deffinbaugh defends a literal translation of the burnt offering
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/print/2320 Dave Miller gives evidence for a figurative translation of the burnt offering.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
First of all, I just want to take a minute to congratulate you! I am so happy that you have stuck with us on this journey of love through the Word of God. We are now one forth of the way through the text! For me, this is my first time reading the Bible through and there are many passages that I’ve never studied or read before. Today’s passage is one of them, and I have to admit that I found it to be a little ummm…disturbing. The majority of today’s passage focuses on Jephthah’s battle and his vow regarding his daughter. In Judges 11:30-31, Jephthah vows to the Lord “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." What’s disturbing about this vow is that in verse 34 we find that it is his daughter who comes out of the house to meet him and in verse 39 we find that Jephthah “did to her as he vowed”.
There is much debate as to whether or not Jephthah actually literally sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering. The conclusion I came to is this – it doesn’t matter whether he did or did not.
Here’s what we know – God never asked for Jephthah’s daughter and would never approve of her as a sacrifice. The laws of sacrifice to our Lord at that time required a male animal sacrifice: Leviticus 20:18-19, "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, 19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.” Other pagan religions did practice human sacrifice, but in Leviticus 18:21, God commands that anyone who does so should be put to death. Also, in Deuteronomy 12:31, we learn “You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.” God found the practice of human sacrifice to be detestable.
So, my point is, if Jephthah in fact literally offered his daughter as a burnt sacrifice, God did not approve of it. In fact, he would have hated it. As to why God did not intervene and prevent the sacrifice, I don’t know. The text doesn’t say. But based on what we know about God from the text that we’ve already read, we know that there are consequences for disobedience and sin and that God is the perfect and just judge. God made his covenant promises with Israel and God fully intended to keep them in spite of Jephthah’s unfortunate vow.
The lesson we can learn is this – when we make a vow to God, it should not be to solicit a blessing, but to show thanks and praise Him. Vows aren’t supposed to be negotiations with God, but a form of worship. Vows to God should be prayerfully considered and should line up with his truths and promises. Most importantly, if we make a vow to God, we should not break our word, but do everything we said. Whatever promises we make, we should be fully prepared to carry out.
Please feel free to post comments or questions on the blog!!
If you’d like to read more, I can suggest two articles:
http://bible.org/seriespage/jephthah-words-matter-judges-101-1215 - Bob Deffinbaugh defends a literal translation of the burnt offering
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/print/2320 Dave Miller gives evidence for a figurative translation of the burnt offering.
Today’s post submitted by Kelly Coxe
Judges 8-9
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%208-9&version=NIV
JUDGES 6 - 7
"Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes--all the time! It must be that way, for God's glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function according to the power of the Spirit within us, God gets the glory. He wants to reveal Himself to a watching world." - Henry T. Blackaby
In today’s passage we are introduced to Gideon, an ordinary man whom God has chosen to do extraordinary things. For seven years God allowed the children of Israel to be subjected to foreign domination because of their unfaithfulness towards Him. Yet in His timing God chose Gideon to deliver the children of Israel from their oppressors.
Two things strike me about Gideon’s encounter with the Lord. First, Gideon is blessed to actually see God who comes in the form of the angel of the Lord. This physical manifestation of the Lord (theophany) occurs multiple times in the Old Testament, most notably in Genesis 18. Second, the Lord is exceedingly patient with Gideon’s meager faith. Instead of responding to God with a simple “Yes, Lord!” Gideon needs assurance upon assurance that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises to do. When the time comes for Gideon to wage battle, God commands that only a tiny band of 300 engage against the many thousands of Midianites. The message is clear: Gideon and his 300 men could not defeat such a sizable enemy without the providence of God.
Has God ever asked you to do something you are not able to do? If He hasn’t yet, believe me, He will! These challenges are part of His design to strengthen our faith and develop true reliance upon Him. In the end when the challenge is met, we reap the benefits and God gets the glory. What a blessedly good deal for us!
Rock on.
Chad
JUDGES 6 - 7
"Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes--all the time! It must be that way, for God's glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function according to the power of the Spirit within us, God gets the glory. He wants to reveal Himself to a watching world." - Henry T. Blackaby
In today’s passage we are introduced to Gideon, an ordinary man whom God has chosen to do extraordinary things. For seven years God allowed the children of Israel to be subjected to foreign domination because of their unfaithfulness towards Him. Yet in His timing God chose Gideon to deliver the children of Israel from their oppressors.
Two things strike me about Gideon’s encounter with the Lord. First, Gideon is blessed to actually see God who comes in the form of the angel of the Lord. This physical manifestation of the Lord (theophany) occurs multiple times in the Old Testament, most notably in Genesis 18. Second, the Lord is exceedingly patient with Gideon’s meager faith. Instead of responding to God with a simple “Yes, Lord!” Gideon needs assurance upon assurance that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He promises to do. When the time comes for Gideon to wage battle, God commands that only a tiny band of 300 engage against the many thousands of Midianites. The message is clear: Gideon and his 300 men could not defeat such a sizable enemy without the providence of God.
Has God ever asked you to do something you are not able to do? If He hasn’t yet, believe me, He will! These challenges are part of His design to strengthen our faith and develop true reliance upon Him. In the end when the challenge is met, we reap the benefits and God gets the glory. What a blessedly good deal for us!
Rock on.
Chad
Saturday, April 3, 2010
He is Risen!
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%206-7&version=NIV
Today we continue to read about the Israelites, their disobedience, and the faithfulness of God to raise up a rescuer from among the people. Our reading focuses on Gideon – a less than significant man who God called to fight for his people. Why such an ordinary man? Like the men God has worked through in the past, Gideon’s weakness makes God’s power perfect. God’s strength and glory is much more evident when he uses the ordinary man to work a supernatural deliverance.
But today I want to focus on a different deliverer. This man was a humble man- born in a stable, a carpenter’s son. He is a man who came in humility and yet would rescue His people. This man was delivered God’s chosen people from the bondage of sin and death forever. This man was Jesus – God’s own son -- and HE IS RISEN!
There’s not much more to say except this – God is the God he says he is. He will do the things he says he will do. He is perfect in unfailing love and faithfulness and has proved himself over and over. I urge you today to pick up your fleece if you’ve been asking God to prove himself in your life, and instead put your weight fully down on the promises of God. Celebrate today that he is a God that made a promise thousands of years ago to rescue his people and still rescues us today. Make this your year of jubilee as He has come to proclaim freedom for the captives.
I pray that today you dance with Joy before the Lord for His love and His faithfulness! I pray that the words of the following hymn are not just an Easter hymn for you, but your life’s song!
Jesus lives! The victory is won!
Death no longer can appall me;
Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done!
From the grave will Christ recall me.
Brighter scenes will then commence;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! To him the throne
there above all things is given.
I shall go where he is gone,
live and reign with him in heaven.
God is faithful; doubtings, hence!
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! For me he died
Hence will I, to Jesus living
Pure in heart and act abide,
Praise to him and glory giving
All I need God will dispense;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! And I am sure
Neither life nor death shall severe
Me from him – I shall endure
In his love, through death, forever.
God will be my sure defense;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! And now is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath
When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense;
Jesus is my confidence!
Today we continue to read about the Israelites, their disobedience, and the faithfulness of God to raise up a rescuer from among the people. Our reading focuses on Gideon – a less than significant man who God called to fight for his people. Why such an ordinary man? Like the men God has worked through in the past, Gideon’s weakness makes God’s power perfect. God’s strength and glory is much more evident when he uses the ordinary man to work a supernatural deliverance.
But today I want to focus on a different deliverer. This man was a humble man- born in a stable, a carpenter’s son. He is a man who came in humility and yet would rescue His people. This man was delivered God’s chosen people from the bondage of sin and death forever. This man was Jesus – God’s own son -- and HE IS RISEN!
There’s not much more to say except this – God is the God he says he is. He will do the things he says he will do. He is perfect in unfailing love and faithfulness and has proved himself over and over. I urge you today to pick up your fleece if you’ve been asking God to prove himself in your life, and instead put your weight fully down on the promises of God. Celebrate today that he is a God that made a promise thousands of years ago to rescue his people and still rescues us today. Make this your year of jubilee as He has come to proclaim freedom for the captives.
I pray that today you dance with Joy before the Lord for His love and His faithfulness! I pray that the words of the following hymn are not just an Easter hymn for you, but your life’s song!
Jesus lives! The victory is won!
Death no longer can appall me;
Jesus lives! Death’s reign is done!
From the grave will Christ recall me.
Brighter scenes will then commence;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! To him the throne
there above all things is given.
I shall go where he is gone,
live and reign with him in heaven.
God is faithful; doubtings, hence!
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! For me he died
Hence will I, to Jesus living
Pure in heart and act abide,
Praise to him and glory giving
All I need God will dispense;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! And I am sure
Neither life nor death shall severe
Me from him – I shall endure
In his love, through death, forever.
God will be my sure defense;
This shall be my confidence.
Jesus lives! And now is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath
When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense;
Jesus is my confidence!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
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